The Deixis Press Weekly - Issue #7
It’s a funny old thing, holidays: everyone always says they need a vacation to relax from their vacation, and that is absolutely true for me when it comes to the UK’s very very long school holidays. My children normally have four weeks off around Easter because their school does ecclesiastical holidays in a big way; this time their break was only for three weeks thanks to coronavirus, but in that final week the only holiday activities available were provided by moi. So perhaps it is no surprise that I arrived into this week utterly wrecked.
Monday, 26 April
Real talk: I just … had a day off. I didn’t intend to have a day off; my body did it for me by refusing to do anything I thought I should probably do.
One thing I can mention here, though, is that I updated the Deixis Press website with information about the two books that are coming out this autumn: Some Rise By Sin, by Siôn Scott-Wilson, due out 15 September, and The Workshop of Filthy Creation, by Richard Gadz, due out 31 October.
People are asking (not in a Trump way; people really are asking!) for pre-order links, which don’t yet exist. They are on the tip of reality. I need to get the books to my printer/distributor, and then I can nag you to pre-order. Don’t worry; I absolutely won’t let you forget.
Tuesday, 27 April
I heard back from an author who has written a fantastic techno-thriller. While I am not accepting submissions at this time (I will open up for two weeks at the beginning of June, and see where that gets me), I am still personally on the hunt for excellent work, and this manuscript is mindblowing. I look forward to sharing it with you at the appropriate time!
Wednesday, 28 April
On Wednesday I finally sorted out my contracts (thank you Lorena!) which makes me feel about 400% more legitimate. Even though I know that the important stuff is already agreed with everyone concerned, it’s so useful to have it all down on paper.
I also started reading a manuscript from another author I’ve been sniffing around for a while. Again, it’s a sci-fi thriller, and it’s very commercial–and while my tastes lean primarily toward literary fiction (yeah, come at me, Twitter, if you think you’re hard enough) I also welcome well-crafted genre fiction. This book absolutely qualifies as such. Again, nothing is final, but this is something really fun that I hope I can share with you soon.
Thursday, 29 April
I got a marketing plan back from the freelance publicist I have decided to work with. I am in awe of her plans, even at the level I can afford! It’s exactly the kind of thing I’d like to be able to do on my own, but I do not have the expertise or contacts that would allow me to do it. Maybe one day I will, but right now I just thank my lucky stars that I found someone who seems to have the right level of energy and enthusiasm about my books, while also having a strategic, realistic, sensible approach to finding success.
Friday, 30 April
Today I got to do one of the best parts of my job–which also used to be a regular part of life that we took for granted–which is meet a person face to face and talk about things! I got a coffee with the techno-thriller author I mentioned in Tuesday’s entry, and we walked around Clissold Park and sat and chatted while a bunch of schoolchildren screamed in excitement about the goats that live in the middle of the park. It was an utter delight in all ways.
Now I’m going to finish off some admin and then maybe read a book? for pleasure? Seems wrong, but idk, we’ll see what happens.
Yours,
Angel