2009
This past 12 months I have had to focus on non author stuff (!)... but something has been happening (with the Zamorian Chronicles) in the background which I hope to be able to tell you about real soon! That something has stopped me writing for over a year, but I will shortly be back at my keyboard working on the next instalment. Apologies for the delay!
Oh... and The Key to Chintak as you know it today will probably be taken out of print soon to be replaced with...
2008
New website! Do you like it?
2007
Breaking News - Mondadori, Italy's biggest publisher, have bought the rights to The Key to Chintak. More to follow.
Rights - For ALL rights enquiries please contact me directly via the Contact page on this website.
How about this for sales figures? I have just been informed by Nielsen BookScan that The Key to Chintak was the 2nd best selling children's paperback amongst small publishers in the 2nd Quarter of last year. The Small Publisher list contains the likes of Faber so this is amazing news. Also, I was the only self published book in the top 500 for the whole year. In case you are wondering (probably not!) I finished 25th for the year. It is worth pointing out that in addition to the sales recorded by Nielsen I have sold just as many books again direct into schools, libraries, independents, book clubs, etc. Thought you might like to know!
Bookseller Magazine 23 March 2007 - Check out the Flagship Feature in this issue - it makes very interesting reading indeed! The Bookseller - March 2007
What a nice man Scott Pack is, not only did he write a great Blog about my book on The Friday Project's website http://meandmybigmouth.typepad.com/.../the_bestseller_.html (Please read all of the comments that followed the Blog - it all gets rather heated, but works out well in the end!) he also dedicated his monthly column in the Bookseller magazine to me as well! I have only one question Scott... who do I make the cheque out to?
If you are so inclined... check out the latest edition of the writers' bible, The Writers' & Artists' Yearbook - children's Edition - for 2007 because yours truly has four pages in there entitled 'Notes from a successful self-starter self-publisher'. Here's the good bit - they actually paid me to write the piece... no seriously... real money and everything. Least I think it's real...
Wigan Schools Library Service.I am pleased to announce that The Key to Chintak has made it onto their latest Recommended list. Check out this link for more info: http://www.wlct.org/libraries/sls/booklike.htm
Talking of schools...Every now and then I google myself (how vain...) to see if anything new has popped up about the book. I found a great link today from a school I have never heard of. What is great about this is that The Key to Chintak is starting to creep into more and more schools without my involvement. What's more the kids actually like it, which helps!! Check out the link: http://www.leon-school.org/English_KS3.htm
2006
TOP 10 - The Key to Chintak has made it into the Children's Top 10 at Waterstones!!
IN THE NEWS - My story was featured in the Times Educational Supplement (TES) on October 20th.
The Key to Chintak second edition (1905200137) is in the shops NOW! Click on this link to see the new cover which is attracting so much interest. The book has been reedited and has been extremely well received by the buyers (see below) and reviewers. The first edition is now out of print.
Competition - All competition prizes have now been won!
It's going nationwide! I am very pleased to tell you that Waterstones are going to put the revised second edition (complete with fancy new cover) in a 3 for 2 offer at the end of March. I would like to go on record in saying that Scott Pack, Head Buyer at Waterstones, is a great guy (where do I send the cheque, Scott?). To read what Scott has said about my book, click here.
Also, WHsmith are going to stock the book from the end of March in all of their airport stores. So if you need a good read on the plane then look no further! To see what Steve Potter - the WHsmith Airports buyer - had to say about my book, click here.
GP Taylor (Shadowmancer) has taking a liking to my book and has kindly written a Foreword for the new edition. Click here to read what he had to say about my book. I believe he will also mention the book on Simon Mayo's book hour on Wednesday 15th Feb. Check out his sites www.shadowmancer.comwww.tersias.co.uk
Note:The Key to Chintak (1905200137) is distrubuted by Gardners
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