With publication tomorrow (and by the way, eek!) I’m hoping you’ll forgive me if I link shamelessly to good things which are being said about the book so that anyone who was wondering what would be the ideal present for their will stop wondering and realise that it is clearly a comic adventure story about truckers, ninjas, apocalypses, politics, and sheep.
Since there are remarkably few of those around, I humbly submit that mine is clear leader in the field. girlfriend/boyfriend/spouse/dad/mum/canary/boss/chauffeur/illicit lover/karate instructor/local MP/fellow members of the Aston Martin Owners Club/accomplice/ringmaster/gimp/houseguest who won’t leave/long lost sister/pasta chef
In support of which (do you see how I subtly came back to the self-promotional orgy?):
The Observer did a really nice piece, and so did the Scotsman.
I was really glad to find that Vulpes Libris gave a thumbs up – especially because of this:
Harkaway’s characters – even the bit part players – are strongly drawn, with a deft hand. He’s particularly good with the women, who while not quite as eccentric as the men, are infinitely more practical (which is, of course, exactly how it should be).
That’s something I was very concerned about – I didn’t want to write bad female characters. It’s such an obvious way to fall down. I was really glad when I started getting feedback from female friends saying ‘you did okay!’ but it’s even better having it confirmed by someone who doesn’t have to be nice. I know this seems on the surface like a very ‘boy’ book, but to my great delight, women seem to take pleasure in it too. Yay!
Rumour has it I will also be on Front Row this evening – it’s at 7:15 pm – and if you miss it you can Listen Again at the Beeb website. That one’s pre-recorded, so it’s not quite as scary as some of the ones I’m doing later this week… live radio… oh, man. I’m so dead.
I’m also a bit alarmed (but very excited) at the prospect of being on Newsnight Review. I have to go and record that in about half an hour, and it goes out on Friday if it happens – I don’t know whether they always do everything they record.
Oh, and there’s a review apparently coming in the Independent On Sunday this weekend…
There! Does that cover it? Well, no, there’s more. Not all so kind, obviously: some people have even suggested that I am not, in fact, the second coming of Dickens! Pshaw, I tell you… (I was actually more alarmed when someone said that I might be…)
It’s also remarkable how many people object to my use of italics. I’d like to apologise in advance to any reader who has low tolerance for italics, and assure you all that I will use fewer in the next book.
So, there it is. The Gone-Away World is in bookshops now…
Blimey. I can’t tell you how much that scares me.