Answering Sensible Questions, Plus: I Do Some Maths

Bit of an odd thing this.
Well, no, not very odd. Quite understandable really. Perhaps what I mean is this:
Bit of a frustrating thing this.

Here, on my blog, I can say, pretty much what ever it is I want to say. I don't always, because of course some statements are definitely better off being left in my head. But I could if I wanted to.

See, here, I'm quite happy saying things about 9987. I don't, not often, I am fairly comfortable doing it. For example:

It is mint it is mint it is mint it is mint.

See? Very easy to do.

Meet me face to face however and it's another thing entirely.
Slowly word has crept around friends and family, family friends and friend's families, friend's of friend's and people I work with, or have once worked with, or went to school with. Etc. This, I tell myself, Can Only Be A Good Thing. People are interested. People tell me they are already preordering (I was, briefly, in the top 40,000 list on Amazon..)

But, increasingly, people have started asking me questions. Have started being interested and wanting to talk to me about it.

This is muchos bizarre. Tres weird. Geet unsettling, how.

They say lovely things like: Congratulations, I heard you're getting published. You must be proper chuffed, how.

I nod and smile.

Then they ask quite sensible questions, things like: So, what's it about then?

And I'm stumped. And I blush. And I try not to make eye contact and mutter stupid things. Sometimes I say:

Lesbian Nurses.

Then they, too, avoid eye contact.

Sometimes I say:

Loneliness. Lust and Unrequited Love

And they say 'Aawww' and I see the pity in their eyes.

Sometimes I say:

Obsession.

Sometimes I say:

Murder

But never do I say this all at once. And never with any explanation. And always with the suffix - Sorry, I'm parked on a double yellow, I'll catch you later.

Face to face, I'm fairly crap. Ask about someone else's book. Ask me about SAT's revision or GCSE coursework. Ask me about football. Ask me why my flies are undone or why I'm wearing a dressing gown in the middle of the street. Ask my why I'm cradling a Disco Kettle and pointing out the sights to it. Anything else I can do.

This is a bit of a problem...

So I've done some Maths. By choice. On my own. And I've shown the workings out.

I have 172 Days until 9987 is released.

I have 172 Days until I really, really have to be able to talk about my book without feeling like a tosser.

I have 172 Days until I really need to be out of my corner and into a spotlight, even if only briefly.

I have 172 Days.

Balls.



Before my Great Big Assault On The Spotlight though, I would very much like to promote someone else.

Caroline Smailes' Novella 'Disraeli Avenue' is now available for Pre-Order. It'll be out in time for Christmas, it's proceeds are going to a very, very good cause, ad if you loved In Search Of Adam as much as I did it will, I'm sure, be worth every penny. For more info stop by Caroline's blog.