It’s out

Why is it that publication day is always such a damp squib? Well, here it is: The Islanders is finally out in the world. Celebrations began shortly after 8:30 am with a bowl of Special K and a cup of coffee. Since then I have been doing my VAT return. Will the excitement never end?

In the old days of Faber (1969 – 1984), publication day was always marked by a telegram from my editor (the late Charles Monteith, a great man), and sometimes by a celebratory lunch with Charles. Jonathan Cape (1984) sent me a leather-bound copy of the new book (The Glamour). Bloomsbury (1990) marked the day with what I felt was an embarrassed silence, and began the current trend of damp squibs.