Birdeye published on 15th May 2024 with a launch at P&G Wells, Winchester’s independent bookstore. I was also interviewed on BBC Radio Solent that morning, so, plenty of nerves.
Since then I’ve been a guest at the wonderful Goldfinch Books in Alton, giving a talk about how I came to write Birdeye to a generous and appreciative crowd. As this was my first outing with the novel, it felt particularly special to discuss it with a group of emerging writers from the area.
I’ve more events lined up throughout the summer and autumn – talks at libraries, bookshops and book groups, including the fabulous Cabinet Rooms Book Group in Winchester. I’m making my way eastwards to the Norwich Book Slam at Anteros Arts in a couple of weeks, and all of this feels like a writer’s business – necessary and validating, and I’m hugely thankful for such opportunities. It is a special thing to be invited to speak as the expert on a novel that has absorbed all my creative energy for the past three years. Who knows – I might even sell some copies.
I’ve been struck, though, by something the writer Sarah Crossan articulated recently, just as her new novel was about to come out. She tweeted ‘Interesting time when you’re publishing a new novel and asked to speak to the themes and ideas in the book. This is a difficult part of the publishing process for me. I write fiction because finding a straight line through ideas is the problem and story writing is my solution.’
When invited, I can happily summarise the plot of Birdeye, suggest themes, and talk at length about craft, research and ambiguous endings; these are pleasurable things to do, because, like many writers, I don’t get out much. However, without doubt the most satisfying conversations are with those who have read the novel. Then I can ask them what they found there.