I’ve had so much encouragement after announcing the forthcoming self-publication of my novel Swimming with Tigers later this year, and I shall be providing occasional updates as the launch date of October 15th approaches.

So far, I have mostly been paying people! I hired a wonderful developmental editor and spent yet more time on the manuscript after her excellent suggestions and alterations came back, even though I have already done around a dozen complete revisions myself over many years.

Next, I chose a designer and I am getting things ready for her to design the cover at the end of February. In the meantime, I will be sending the manuscript to another professional for a final proofread.

My marketing is just beginning. I have a Substack newsletter called The Fur Cup where I am trying hard to raise the profile of women surrealists by writing imaginative pieces about their artworks. I am also writing about the process of self-publication on the Medium platform where I occasionally make a bit of money.

This spring, I plan to set up a new website as an author. I will, almost inevitably, run into tech issues with this, and I expect to swear a lot.

The most fun this year will be planning the launch party in October, which will be in Bangor, North Wales at a venue yet to be decided.