Keith's Monthly Newsletter

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Hello Everyone,

And welcome to my first ever newsletter. I have all kinds of stuff to share with you all, and by all I mean the two of you who have subscribed so far (Hi Becky. Hi Matt.) including updates on the book cover for Dexter & Sinister, what's happening with the book launch, and why I've been buying waistcoats all of a sudden.

Enjoy.

Life happens

Life under Covid-19 continues as it has these past few months. No work, but plenty of time to dedicate to pizza, Far Cry 5, and trying to figure out formatting in Amazon KDP. To say that I've been finding the vagaries of desktop publishing a challenge would be an understatement. But, like climbing a mountain, I'm getting there slowly.

It's nice to be able to dedicate my time to publishing my book, but it'd be nice to know there was some work on the horizon too. Things like book covers cost money after all. Still, there's not much can be done about that now. Like the old saying goes, when life gives you lemons, send that sh*t back and say, "Hey, Life! This isn't what I ordered."

News from the Steam Factory

My debut novel,

Dexter & Sinister : Detecting Agents

, is almost ready to be unleashed on the world. Links to buy will be going up on online as soon as the cover is done. But the really exciting news is that my book launch is now going to be featured as part of the largest steampunk festival in Europe - the Asylum Festival.

Mostly happening online this year, for obvious reasons, I have come up with what I think is a killer launch video idea. Basically I'm going to plaster my book cover onto a large rocket, and then literally launch it into the sky (where it will subsequently "blow up", haha).

I'm hoping that will be more interesting to watch than your average unboxing video, but it has meant me having to buy all kinds of things - fireworks, some goggles, a double-breasted waistcoat - because if there's one thing these steampunkers like, it's a bit of dress-up and pageantry.

It all adds to the expense, but if you're going to do these things you may as well do them right, right?

The Asylum Festival will be happening on

Facebook

and

from the 28th to the 30th of August.

The cover for

Dexter & Sinister : Detecting Agents

is almost finished. Just the title design to do now. I had hoped to share it with you here, but alas we're still a few days away from being done. Instead you guys get a preview of Dexter, from the front cover, alongside my original design. Funny to think how one drawing could lead to the other, eh.

What I've Been Reading

Reading in lockdown has been challenging at times. Sometimes I've been in the mood, and sometimes not. And when I'm like that, I find that something easy to read is what's called for.

Ack-Ack Macaque

is the first in a trilogy by Gareth L.Powell, and I heartily recommend it. Starring a talking, cigar-chomping, fighter-pilot monkey, I confess I bought it mainly for the cover. I mean look at that guy! How is he not going to be entertaining.

Thankfully, the writing is excellent too. Gareth presents his story simply and clearly, with a great set of characters who are interesting to follow. I don't want to give too much away, as there are some unexpected twists and turns, but it has an interesting retro/sci-fi mix that I really liked, not to mention a well realised title character that you can't help rooting for.

I've just started on the second book, but I'm taking my time. Ack-Ack Macaque is a character I want to savour, not rush through blindly. One can only hope he'll end up on the big screen some day.

OK folks, that's all for now. Keep an eye out online for any book updates, and there may even be another newsletter before next month, once I have more details about my upcoming festival appearance.

Toodle-pip for now. Stay safe.

Keith