Hello from Burgess Towers
Welcome to the newsletter for February.
It’s been quite a month, and it’s not finished yet. I’ve been hard at work (I know, I find it hard to believe too) on the first draft of Fair Play – Carrie Tyler Book 2.
The great Terry Pratchett said that the first draft is the author telling themselves the story. Well, I’ve almost told myself and I like it. Today was a big step as I shared the draft with my editor. Her reaction will tell me f I’ve got it right. There’ll be many more stages of editing to come before we end up at proof reading a finished book, and it gets released into the world. All being well, Fair Play will be out by the summer.
Incidentally, The Price We Pay (Carrie Tyler Book 1), is currently just 99p in the UK. This week, it has been part of a BookBub featured deal, leading to record sales (thank you!). If you like a bargain (who doesn’t?) and read ebooks, you need to sign up for BookBub. You’ll receive regular emails with discounted books in the genres you love.
Talking of love (smooth or what?) the reaction to The Fifth Door has been overwhelming. Please, keep the reviews and ratings coming. They make a huge difference to how others perceive the books and make an old man very happy. The paperback edition is out on Monday February 24th and work starts soon on the audiobook, narrated once again by the fabulous Lee Beddow.
To mark the publication day, I thought I’d give you a few interesting facts about doors!
- The oldest known wooden door was discovered on an archeological site in Zurich and is believed to be 5,000 years old. Good to know that all that time ago, a dad was shouting at the kids to shut the door behind them.
- The heaviest door in the world is believed to belong to the NASA Vehicle Assembly Building in Florida. Each of its four doors is 456 feet tall and weighs around 3,700 tons. They take 45 minutes to open or close. How many times would you get shouted at there?
- The door of No. 10 Downing Street is blast-proof and reinforced with steel. It features a high-tech revolving flap to allow Larry the cat access via his own key. (I may have made the last bit up.)
- Revolving doors were invented to avoid having to hold it open for the next person.
- Jim Morrison, Ray Manzarek, Robby Krieger, and John Densmore had huge success with songs like Light My Fire, People Are Strange, and Riders On The Storm. For a while in 1965, they were joined by bassist Patricia Sullivan. She can claim to be The Fifth Door. (Thank you, I’m here all week.)
My book recommendation this month is an old one. I’ve set myself the task of re-reading all the Rebus books by Ian Rankin and really enjoyed Mortal Causes.
Whatever you’re reading, have a great month
Roy
‘Startled pensioners turned to see the ice-cream van bearing down on them, forty yards of bunting flying behind’
The Fifth Door
