Finally, after what has felt like an eternity of planning, THE MADNESS OF THE FAITHFUL was officially released today. I say officially, but the book has been available to purchase or download from a few sites for the last few weeks. In fact, by yesterday, as part of a week-long free e-book promotion, it had hit the top of the Amazon Kindle bestseller list (top 100 free), reaching #1 in Dystopian Science Fiction, #2 in Science Fiction, #9 in Science Fiction & Fantasy, and #60 in the overall Free Kindle Store. After all the hard work, such a response is phenomenal! Additionally, I’m pleased to say that the initial reviews coming in are overwhelmingly positive.
These are exciting times indeed, but I am very aware that this is just the start of the mission and there are plenty more challenges ahead. Getting readers to download the book for free is one thing, but sales will require quite a bit more commitment from the consumer. I’m over the moon with the progress so far, but there is still plenty of work left to do.
In parallel, my second novel is reaching a mature draft stage, so I’m looking at options on how to proceed with this manuscript. Certainly, the approach with the first book – up to now – has been a success. What happens next will likely determine how I proceed with the second. The story is a different genre from the first, but early indications are that it may actually be more accessible and perhaps even more of a page-turner. I haven’t yet decided on a title, but I do have a frontrunner that I suspect will be the one (more news to follow on that one in the coming weeks!)
Anyway, for now, I focus on the milestone achieved today. After so much work, to receive such a response is truly fantastic (and I’m running out of superlatives…). A project I started years ago that came into fruition in the darkest hours of the pandemic has finally reached its destination. For months, I sat alone in a hot room in Singapore writing and rewriting the manuscript. And here I am – two years later – enjoying this moment in the sunshine of rural Wales. The subject matter and the story is one I’ve cared for and nurtured for a very long time, and now – finally – it has been released into the world, which feels good. Odd, but good.
