It’s a month till the UK launch of the paperback of Our Child of the Stars. (Thursday 19th Sept.) Anyone who wants one can pre-order it now from all good bookshops and the usual online retailers.
I’ve been blown away by the support and interest I’ve had from family, friends, and colleagues. I’ll take a little bit more of your patience if I can.
Pre-orders count towards the first week of sales, helpful for the charts. And also, not every shop will have it in, but most shops can order it.
The oddity of the way publishing works is that having devoted masses of effort to promoting the e-book, audio-book, and the hardback – despite the paperback being crucial to its commercial success – the paperback often gets less of a push. Although my publishers are doing some good things, which is more than some people get.
If you are on good terms with a bookshop or in a book group which might like it, let me know. The paperback has Readers Notes which I can share.
Word of mouth – or its shiny new friend, sharing on social media – really helps. If you feel moved to share the details I will be pushing out, I’d be grateful.
And the national press has been very generous to the book. In this anniversary of Woodstock and the Moon Landings, exactly why I decided to write about a childless American couple adopting an alien in 1969, remains a bit of a mystery. But most people who read it are not disappointed.
‘heartfelt, richly imaginative and gripping’ (SciFiNow)
‘sympathetic characterisation and fine storytelling’ (Guardian)
‘compelling… the same combination of science fiction and heart-tugging tenderness that Stephen King does so well.’ (Grazia)
‘An out of this world winner’ (Weekend Sport)
‘This strong and generous first novel wears its heart on its sleeve and embeds all the thrills and chills in credible human, and non-human, emotions.’ (Daily Mail)
‘A pleasing, big-hearted read’ (Financial Times)
‘Wholly fresh and intensely gripping’ (Interzone)
‘a wonderfully emotional, heart-warming journey of what it really means to be a parent’ (Los Angeles Times)
Thank you for listening.
