Mission Control we have launch sequence in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1…
What you’re looking at is the cover of my just released short story collection.
And yep, it has got a deliberately long title.
Am I excited? Am I pumped? Am I in writing heaven? Yes, yes, yes! And let me add – you don’t know how much!
The day my author’s copy from the publisher arrived in the mail was a day to behold – literally!
With no one looking, I spent what no doubt amounted to a quite shameful length of time caressing the smooth-as-wax cover (over and over), smelling it’s pages with every nostril muscle I could command and staring long-fully, lovingly and smoochfully into ‘it’s’ dreamy, hardcover eyes.
No denying this was a forbidden, unholy love that, in a previous time, dare not have spoken it’s name. Would it be too unhinged of me to admit I slept with ‘it’ that first night under my pillow?
I’d been hit hard with first-time author’s lovey-dove goo-goo eyes for my new book and I was determined to make the honeymoon last as long as possible.
Now that that magical time is a week past, I can say I don’t think I’ll ever forget that first, memorable night alone. Just the two of us... beautiful new book and I.
Before the story continues, would you like a taste? Maybe a little rude of me not to have offered before now? Ok then. Don’t waist it – taste it – HERE.
Anyways, with the infatuation-phase drawing to a close, it was time to get down to business. The promotion business, that is. I’d organised a 10 000 flyer letterbox drop of my local neighbourhood. Time to get that underway.
The thought did occur to me how much easier and quicker it might be to just hire a helicopter and drop the whole damn heaving paper mass of promotional codswallop in one go on the unsuspecting folk in my local surrounding suburbs.
Apart from the expense of that I also figured I might cop a littering fine from council, so thought the better of it.
Promotion-wise, I also managed to reign in a couple of favours from ‘celeb’ mates of mine I’ve rubbed shoulders with – Walter-Mitty style – along the way of my ‘authors journey’, as they say.
Jack Black’s reaction to the book, for example, was impressive to say the least –
This book features 87 (’cause 87 is one helluva magic number – just ask any cricketer!) completely whacked-out short stories written by me. They range in length from 30-second to ten-minute reads.
You can buy it or browse it –
HERE
HERE
HERE
Thanks for attending my book launch. I do hope you enjoyed the complementary glass of champagne on the way in (apologies if we’d run out by the time you arrived).
To celebrate the sheer austerity, sophistication and class – the ‘front-of-the-plane’ kind – of this occasion and leave you in no doubt as to the fully-fledged highbrow-ness of the company you’ve been in while here, I leave you with this –
Just for laughs of the ironic kind, here’s a flashback to 2021 when I penned a genuine hand-on-my-heart blog post entitled REASONS WHY I’LL NEVER – AND I MEAN NEVER – WRITE A NOVEL. Well, I did say novel.
So what’s next on the SWS drawing writing board? Would it surprise anyone to know that SHACK is currently hard at work on a script for the live, one-man-show version of THE HIGH-FIVEABLE, FIRE-GOD BRILLIANT, CLEVER-IN-SPADES AND UTTERLY RIPSNITIOUS SHORT STORY COLLECTION? You heard it here first.
What’s happier than a writer with a new book? Try full-on HAPPY DAYS HERE
Woohoo! Congratulations on the book launch. Hope the sales come rollin’ in.
Thanks Linda!
Don’t know about sales rollin’ in though. I’d be happy with a trickle. And I have a feeling it might be a very, very slow trickle, if that. Let’s face it, there’s only so much an endorsement from Miley Cyrus can do.
Have you ever thought about putting out a book? (And by ‘putting out’ I don’t mean using a fire extinguisher to dampen some discarded bound paper pages that find themselves alight by the side of the road!)
Wow, this looks really interesting! I find as I get older. and my mood changes, short stories seem to be better, as I can read one in very little time. Now, I can read one in seconds or under 10 mins! Great for kids and adults with limited focus like myself.
How long did it take to write the 87 of them, or are they are collection throughout the years? And who is the illustrator?
Also, I remember you saying in 2017 how writing a book, even though a life-long dream, would be something that could potentially tear your hair out. What made you change your mind!?
These stories, dating as far back as 2014 and the most recent having been penned in January of this year, were all written by me.. The illustrator is a personal friend of mine whose first name is ADOBE (Cute heh?)
A person purporting to be me (okay, me) published a blog post back in 2021 entitled REASONS I’LL NEVER – AND I MEAN NEVER – WRITE A NOVEL.
https://scenicwritersshack.com/2021/02/12/reasons-ill-never-and-i-mean-never-write-a-novel/
Well, I did say novel.
You’ve reached the top of the mountain Glen. Hope you enjoy the view.
Thank you Anon.
They say these days every man and his dog has got a book out.
I’ve got a dog and now I’ve got a book!
The eagle has landed! Well done!
Let’s hear it for the Anons. (I really hope you guys are different people. Just saying!)
I’ve always loved that NASA styled expressed, so thank you for using it.
It is a good feeling to finally have a book that bears my name.
Congratulations Glen, well done.
Looking forward to reading your book.
Well that’s music to my ears!
Thankya. Thankya very much.
It’s a bit theatrical but I’m gonna channel the white jumpsuit and say…
Congratulations!!! WOW, that’s a lot of stories, long or short! Amazing. How great that you combined them, and now there’s a book! I thought I saw a Kindle edition in Amazon, then when I went back…couldn’t find it. Did I imagine that? It was $8. Anyway, so exciting, congrats again, champagne and balloons and cheers and applause, Glen! Yaaaaaay!
You were correct Stacey about the Kindle price being $8.
This link confirms it –
That’s extra joy all-round and I love that!
You are welcome! I’ve read some of your stories already but look forward to the ones I haven’t. Thanks for the link! Found it and got the book! AND it was down $3 to $5, lol. Every penny counts!
Congratulations Glen, I’ve had a quick peek and loved what I read. Quirky and funny.
Because there are more Anons here than you could poke a stick at (ie people who WordPress recognises as not having an account) it’s hard for me to know exactly who I’m thanking. Doesn’t matter.
‘Quirky’ and ‘funny’ are two of the highest compliments I could be paid so thank you so much Anon # 5.