The present incarnation of this website began in October 2010, when I was relieved to report that I had at last delivered the MS of my novel, The Islanders. In fact I had sent it in during August, cunningly coinciding with the entirety of London publishing going on holiday, apparently forever. Well, in the end it was read, and accepted, and for the last twelve months it has been grinding at glacial pace through whatever it is that happens to manuscripts between delivery and publication. However, today was the day when finished copies finally turned up here.
All is well. The book looks plausible and intended, if you see what I mean. Gollancz have done well with the production, which looks at this early stage faultless. It is a long book (by my standards): it comes in at 339 well filled pages. It seems competitively priced: how can it be sold at £12.99 a copy? I’m impressed by that. The Prestige, published exactly sixteen years ago in a Touchstone hardcover edition almost as handsome as this one, was sold at £15.99; The Extremes, thirteen years ago, went for £16.99. I hope the Chancellor is noting all this, and is set to reward Gollancz for their commendable disinflationary efforts. Now who says books are over-priced?
Today was the first time I had seen the cover printed on good stock, and I think it looks OK. There is a slight grunge effect, but to those who are interested in such matters, this was intentional. I don’t in fact see where the grunge exists in the novel itself, but never mind.
Gollancz have also sent me some presentation copies of the export trade paperback edition, which apart from its binding is identical to the hardback. It too looks pretty good. If ordering from abroad, and you prefer the paperback, you should note that the ISBNs are different: the hardback is 978-0-575-07004-2; the export paperback is 978-0-575-07819-2.