Back in the Jug Agane

Whether that's school or publication week...

It’s that time that every author loves and hates, hopes for and fears: launch week. I have a book out this week. A book of my heart. A book I’ve worked on and thought about and worried about for the past year or so. It has elves, enemies, myths, friendship problems and daddy issues. It has grand gestures (and the ethics around them) and it has jokes. 

Also, it’s red. As a book with a healthy dose of Tolkien in its DNA, having it in the same colour as my childhood copy of Lord of the Rings feels good. It feels right.

Pushing a book out into the world is a terrifying act. It’s wonderful, it’s a privilege, it’s a joy. But it’s terrifying. There aren’t many jobs where your annual review appears on the internet for all to read, or in charts with numbers for all in publishing to read, or told by strangers to your face.

I absolutely love seeing Loki in children’s hands. I love hearing their thoughts about each new book. I love talking about my books to people. Such as the delightful Berts Books podcast, out today! Listen here!

The Bert's Books Guide to Verbing the Noun

But every time I publish a book worry I’ve lost it, this time, the book will be bad, or sink without trace. 

So, as children go back to school, I too am back in the jug agane (Molesworth, Loki’s spiritual ancestor). I’m at the top of the rollercoaster, about to whoosh down. Will I fall off the rails? Will I rise up again triumphant? Will I puke? Time will tell. 

Nigel Molesworth walked so Loki could ruin everything. This glorious illustration is by Ronald Searle, one of my biggest visual inspirations. The writer, Geoffrey Willans, is the greatest inspiration of my attitude to spelling and grammar.

I hope you all enjoy LOKI: A BAD GOD’S GUIDE TO MAKING ENEMIES - this small portion of my soul, on sale for £7.99 in all good bookshops from Thursday.

One last set of reminders.

ONE

I’m doing a London event in Kensington on Saturday 14th September (ie next Saturday). Book here to join me! 

TWO

You can preorder Loki 4 until Thursday. If you do, you can claim a FREE print if you’re UK or Ireland. All the info here.

Every booking of the event or preorder of the books helps with the terror a tiny bit! So you’d be doing a good deed in a naughty world. 

All the best and all the terror and joy,

Louie