It’s just three months since my first novel was
published, Fighting Back by Julia Bayer – my mother’s name.
Although I could write a novel, I had no
idea how to market the book or myself as an author. As a former journalist it
should have been easy, but it wasn’t. It felt like I was just showing off. But
then people started contacting me after they had read my book.
I really was surprised, shocked even, to
think that people liked my book – and were demanding more.
I had old friends, even from schooldays,
write to me saying they were gripped by my novel. I had previous work
colleagues get in touch and relatives from far and near asking for more.
To me writing my book was just something
that happened accidentally. I fell over on a skiing holiday and spent the rest
of the week in the hotel. I was bored so started writing on scraps of paper and
serviettes. By the end of the week, I had more than 40 bits of paper in my room
and the words were pouring out.
I was working full time then so only dipped
into more chapters when I had time – usually on my boat. It took me a couple of
years and then I contacted a few literary agents and publishers to see if they
would be interested in taking me on as a new author.
I probably had half a dozen refusals, so
the project was shelved for about eight years. I just assumed it was not good
enough so left it on a spare hard drive.
It wasn’t until the first Covid lockdown
that it resurfaced. My daughter, Stef, nagged me to do something with my book
(she had read it as a Word document years before), so I contacted a couple of
publishers and hey presto, one said yes.
It was another 18 months with proof
reading and more proof reading before I hit the button to say ‘yes, all
correct.’
Caption: It never ceases to surprise me when I see people reading my book –
even if she is my daughter.
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