An unexpected opportunity

I have just returned from holiday to the publication of my first book.

These words are what every author dreams of but publication has not come about in the way I imagined. 

My first book is not a novel as anyone following this blog might imagine, but a quiz book about my home town, produced solely for the growing market of readers who now have their information delivered directly to an eBook platform.

As a freelance I have worked on many different projects from editing a parenting magazine to ghostwriting for famous footballers. The varied nature of my work and the freedom that affords me is one of the things that I enjoy. I love learning about new things, meeting interesting people and finding out about their lives and when I was given the opportunity to compile a quiz eBook, I was more than ready for the challenge. 

I had to work to a tight deadline and for a while, putting the book together took over my life but I enjoyed every minute. Having studied history at university, I have always had an interest in the subject and discovering more about the area I grew up in was fascinating. At the beginning, I was worried that I wouldn’t have enough information but in the end I had far too much to include in one book and had to make tough decisions about what to leave out. 

I will never forget the buzz I felt some years ago when my first article appeared in print but nothing comes close to seeing your name on the cover of a book. I must confess that it does seem strange not to be able to hold my book in my hand, feel the pages and inhale the aroma of new print (yes, ok, I admit that this is a weird obsession of mine!).

I always imagined that my first book would be a hefty tome in both weight and content and I am still working on my novel although for me it is a painfully slow process, but in order to succeed as a writer, we have to seize opportunities whenever they present themselves.  

As the publication for the book was brought forward, I have been thrown headlong into the world of marketing and publicity and as with everything else, I am learning as I go along. By the time, I finally publish my novel I will be more than ready.

In the meantime, I am proud of this achievement and looking forward to my next challenge, whatever that may be…

The Southend-on-Sea Quiz Book is published by Apex Publishing and is available as an eBook on all major sites including a kindle edition from Amazon. For more information call Jackie Bright: 01255 428500 or e-mail: Jackie.Bright@apexpublishing.co.uk