Category: A Persistence of Ghosts

After The Event

On By Mick CanningIn A Persistence of Ghosts, books, promoting, writing24 Comments

Yeah, the book’s out. I’ve gone through the motions, but at the moment I feel I don’t really care what happens to the thing. I feel flat. Is this normal? I can’t remember if I’ve felt this way after publishing previous books. Perhaps it’s because it took so long this time around. I love the process of writing but the marketing sucks. I hate the feeling I’m pressurising people into buying something. Partly, I think, it’s a typically English sort of thing – I feel really embarrassed about self-promotion, about blowing my own trumpet. It’s ‘not what we do’.

Except, of course, we do. That’s just a caricature, really, although inevitably some of us do fit into that description. Some of this feeling I think is wanting to get on with a new project. A need to move on and explore something different. I’ve lived with the damned thing for so long, thought about it, talked about it, agonised over it, I just want to get stuck into something different! With no distractions.

Don’t get me wrong; I’m proud of the book. I’m pleased with how it turned out. The characters, the story arc…but I do hate the promotion. I suppose it’s a particularly personal thing; I was asked if I would do a book launch, to which I replied no, I wouldn’t. I don’t like reading in public, I wouldn’t really want to do a question and answer interview. That’s the introvert in me. But if a few people get to read it, and if they get something from it, then I guess I’ll be pleased. I know that doesn’t seem like much of a return for ten years’ work, but there you go.

But I find I’m writing notes frantically, and I’ve begun a small project, a poem, or perhaps short poem cycle, that I’ve had in mind for a while. And the notes will either end up as ‘zine articles, or even another novel.

Maybe both. Who can say?

A Persistence of Ghosts

On By Mick CanningIn A Persistence of Ghosts, books, Fiction, India, publishing, writing19 Comments

So, it’s gone out into the big wide world.

My new novel is released today. I don’t write many of the things and the last one came out ten years ago, so I guess this counts as an Event (note the capital letter).

Woohoo!

And I suppose I should tell you what it’s all about:

‘After Independence in 1947, Stephen Chapman’s family are one of the few British families who decide to stay on in India. Life in the peaceful Northern Indian hill station of Khodiganj goes on much the same as before, yet in 1951 his parents make the sudden decision to return to England and afterwards refuse to even talk about their time out there.
In 1988 Stephen returns to Khodiganj, determined to find out the reasons for their sudden leaving, even if those reasons might have been better kept hidden. And during the following weeks he finds he is drawn inexorably into the small English diaspora remaining there, with their own secrets and ghosts.’

And where to find it: It’s on Amazon, both as POD paperback and Kindle.

And for those of you in UK, you can order signed copies from my Etsy shop (if you’d like a dedication, message me), or just message me anyway and I’ll send it privately and take a quid off into the bargain (pay by PayPal).

Tell a friend or two. Spread the word!

And, of course, if you could leave a review somewhere, that would be most helpful!

A New Novel

On By Mick CanningIn A Persistence of Ghosts, books, Fiction, India, publishing, writing34 Comments

Well, it’s certainly been a while. Two complete revisions and countless edits – a total of ten years in the making! Just as well I don’t create series (unless you count the zines).

(cover mock-up)

So, the lowdown. The title of the book is A Persistence of Ghosts, and it is set in India, as was my first novel. But where the first novel was set on the North India plains, in a small village, this one is set in a fictitious hill station in the foothills of the Himalaya. Whereas the first one had an entirely Indian cast, this one deals with the British community who stayed on after Independence and their interactions (or not) with the Indians there. I’m planning on a release date of 18th August, although I might yet bring that forward (or push it back if the proof copy shows up a lot of errors!).

The tease:

After Independence in 1947, Stephen Chapman’s family are one of the few British families who decide to stay on in India. Life in the peaceful Northern Indian hill station of Khodiganj goes on much the same as before, yet in 1951 his parents make the sudden decision to return to England and afterwards refuse to even talk about their time out there. Then in 1988 Stephen returns to Khodiganj, determined to find out the reasons for their sudden leaving, even if those reasons might have been better kept hidden. And during the following weeks he finds he is drawn inexorably into the small English diaspora remaining there, with their own secrets and ghosts.