Thursday, April 01, 2010

Big up my book!

There are times when one may be allowed to blow one's own trumpet.

Last weekend I uploaded my Golden Dawn manuscript to the Authonomy website.

Blogger Electric Alphabet describes Authonomy thus:

For those who’ve not discovered it yet,
Authonomy is HarperCollins UK’s social networking experiment for authors. Authors can upload all or part of their manuscripts to an online community. The best ranked submissions, based on the community’s votes, are read by HarperCollins editors. Members also have chance to converse and swap critical feedback.

Thus the name of the game is to rise as high as possible in the rankings.

None of us are so modest that we do not derive satisfaction from agreeable statistics. I note that as of 31 March, year on year the Sandlander blog has enjoyed a 62 percent increase in traffic.


And so I would like to see my novel reach the level at which it will be considered by the HarperCollins editors. (Not that this is any guarantee of publication, as fellow Sandlander Alexander McNabb found to his chagrin.)

Thus I invite readers of this blog to join Authonomy, read my work and, if you like it, hit the button to 'back' Golden Dawn. This will add the title to your virtual 'bookshelf' and improve my ranking.

How, you wonder, can I have the brass cheek to suggest such manipulation?

The answer is simple. The comments I have received in these early days are so amazingly gratifying that my usual modesty must be set aside!

"Compelling. I can't rate it high enough."

"The cover, the pitch, the book itself, everything screams skill. Brilliant."

"On my shelf..... this is frankly unputdownable."

"This is absolutely brilliant, stunning writing and with a great premise. Maybe I'm a tad biased as I live in France, close to the Normandy landing beaches, but I would definitely buy your book. Ahum, first time I've ever said that on Authonomy and I've read some cracking books here."

"The European setting, the restrained tone and pacing, the character of Emma herself, the promise of Cathars and alchemy and, of course, quality writing."

"This is truly fascinating, and wonderfully written!"

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