Hey amigos!

I bring not great tidings, I’m afraid.

First, sadly, my London event, next Sunday (September 9th) at the Hampstead & Highgate Literary festival is now cancelled. I’m really sorry if you’ve already bought a ticket. Hate to let people down but hopefully will do at least one London event next year.

My book release dates have also moved way back. My next grown-up novel, IT FELT LIKE A KISS, is now published in May 2013 and my YA novel, THE WORST GIRLFRIEND IN THE WORLD has now moved back to 2014.

It’s always been a point of pride with me that I never miss a deadline and always deliver my manuscripts on time but, as you’ll know, if you follow my blog, my father was very ill and passed away a couple of months ago and while he was ill, I’m happy to say that he was my only priority. And trying to work through your grief, or even just work out how you feel, is not conducive to sitting down and writing a novel. Or the novel that I was trying to write! I’m very fortunate and grateful that I have two very understanding, empathetic editors who would rather that I took some extra time on both novels, than just meet my deadline.

That said, to be really honest, the er, mixed reaction to NINE USES FOR AN EX-BOYFRIEND sent me into a dark spiral of despair.

Originally, this blog post was much longer and I specifically addressed some of criticisms levelled at NINE USES but I know that however rational and reasonable I try to be, it’s going to come across like a big old bowl of sour grapes. I will say that I was so spooked and upset by how spiteful some of the reviews were, I questioned whether I was going to be able to finish IT FELT LIKE A KISS, or if I actually wanted to write anymore. I was in an extraordinarily sensitive place because of what was going on in my personal life and it was hard to take a step back. I think I’m over that now. Hell, I know I am. So many novels and stories I still want to tell.

However, like I said, there were lots of comments, both good and not so good, about NINE USES that I really did take on board and tried to use constructively. I really hope that IT FELT LIKE A KISS will be a better piece of writing as I was forced to take a long, hard look at what I was trying to achieve with the story and my characters and realised I was falling short. I also now get a nervy, flippy feeling in my tummy when I see I have a new review. And also I want you to know that yes, we totally should have gone with a different title. Hands up. Guilty as charged. From coming up with the titles, then actually writing four different drafts of the books, the story changed a hell of a lot on the journey to being published.

So, that is a long-winded and I hope not-too-defensive other reason why my release dates have been put back.

I do want to reiterate that anyone who buys a book and takes the time to read it is entitled to review it, whether they liked it or not. I get that. I’m all for that, but sometimes it can be hard to be on the receiving end. And sometimes it really knocks all the stuffing out of a writer, which is why I’m just about to start rewriting my rewrites.

Live on

Sarra x