It’s now less than a week until you can read my first novel, To The Other.
To celebrate I would like to share the first chapter HERE
I wrote it around 3 years ago while at Sixth Form. I carried on writing it last year and it quickly turned into the novel. I’m looking forward to see what people think.
Thanks for reading,
Ashley
Neil Gaiman handing my girlfriend her book back, after misspelling her name.
I’ve mentioned in a couple of posts that I was going to London soon to meet Neil Gaiman, one of my favourite writers. Well today was that day and it was amazing. I got up early, got an early train to London, was completely squashed by two people. Basically ran to Forbidden Planet from the tube station. And in the end I got to meet, if only briefly, one of my idols and someone who has inspired my writing. Stardust, Coraline, American Gods. Epic novels that I’ve read over and over again.
I was disappointed in Forbidden Planet’s handling of the event. Stay in line for 2 hours, outside, get pushed into a line. I got told off for hesitating when handing Gaiman the book, and then pushed by someone else into the queue to pay for it. I did get told by Neil Gaiman that I should always hesitate, hesitate to the end of the world. I do understand that there were a lot of people and they wanted as many people as possible to get things signed. It also bothered me that we weren’t allowed to get anything other than his new book signed. It was still amazing though.
The best part of the day, for me anyway, came a couple of hours later. I knew that Corey Taylor (the singer from Slipknot and Stone Sour), another of my idols, was doing a book signing a couple of streets away. But they clashed. I didn’t think I was going to meet them both, but went into Waterstones just to pick up his book. To my absolute shock he was still signing books, 3 hours after he arrived, I asked if I could join the queue and was ushered along. It was great and I got to talk to him about his comic.
All in all it was a brilliant and very geeky day and one I’m going to remember for a long time. I’m sorry if It seems like I’ve been showing off. I will be uploading Jimmy part 8 along with a short update of my own book tomorrow.
Thanks for reading,
Ashley.
The proof copy of my book arrived in the mail earlier. For me that was the biggest thing ever. I’ve now held my book in a printed and bound edition. So far there has been a couple of errors but nothing major. The cover was slightly off, but that has been fixed. I’ve read through the first 40 pages, with about 250 to go. A couple of double spaces and so far one missing full stop. Nothing major. Everything is on schedule. It’s just less than 2 weeks now until every one can read the book. I’m anxious but excited. What’s the worst that can happen?
Thanks for reading,
Ashley.
Ashley Manning 