Getting The Devil’s in the Detail released feels very much like the ascent up a tall mountain. Just when you think you are at the top, there is invariably another peak to climb before arriving at the summit. I’m currently working on the ‘business-y’ side of releasing the book. I’m amazed at the complexity of it all, but I think I’ve found a way through the reams of paperwork. The good news is that I’ll only need to do this once, so subsequent books will be far easier to finally release. It’s all about momentum – just keep moving forward.

And it’s in that spirit that I have started on my second novel. I have been tinkering on a few side projects this year in the background, but I’m pleased to have decided on what my next novel will be. The planning out of the story has gone well, and just this morning I was drinking coffee in my favourite cafe and getting plenty of writing done.

I’ve set myself a target of 10,000 words a week, and I’m pleased to report that I’ve already got 8,000 of those done this week. It’s exciting to think that I should have a fairly strong draft ready by Christmas. I’ll try and blog about my progress throughout the year, but what I can reveal is that this novel is completely separate to the first and tackles different themes. It’s also decidedly Spanish-y.

Hasta luego, amigos.

With The Devil’s in the Detail coming out in less than a month, many of my friends and colleagues have asked me about the actual process of self-publishing. There are several great articles on what’s involved, but sadly many of them cater to an American audience. I reached out to the Australian Writers Marketplace website for advice, but again – came up blank.

Enter Rachel Amphlett.

Rachel is a Queensland-based author who published her first novel, White Gold, last year. After checking out her website, I e-mailed her on a whim for any insight she might be able to offer on self-publishing. What she came back with was absolute gold! Not only did she point me towards a print-on-demand service that was perfect for my needs, but in the past few months she’s offered me invaluable advice on the marketing and launch of my book. It’s fantastic to have someone to bounce ideas off.

For those that enjoy a good thriller, I can recommend Rachel’s White Gold. It’s an ecological thriller that plays out across the globe, with our heroes uncovering a murky plot that spans from London to Brisbane. If you are in need of an exciting action adventure, with a twist, then do yourself a favour and pick up a copy here.

Ever since University, I’ve proclaimed to anyone that cared to listen (which, unsurprisingly, wasn’t many) that “Font counts”. For years I’ve been of the opinion that the font you select is crucial. Whether it be for a resume (Arial of course), a kid’s birthday party (why not try Comic Sans?) or a script (don’t even think of not using Courier), the type of font you use says a lot about your work.

And never has this been truer than formatting the novel. With the final proof-read done (hoorah!), I’ve been spending time on the final formatting of the paperback. This in itself has been really finicky. Sleep has been difficult with the following questions firing in my mind:

1. Is the outside margin narrow enough to avoid any words falling off the page?

2. Is the inner margin wide enough to prevent the start of sentences being hidden in the depths of the spine?

3. Should I have a glossy or a matte finish to the cover?

4. What does one write in the ‘About the Author’ section?

5. Should the first letter of the chapter be bigger than the rest?

6. Just how does the point scoring system for the Tour de France actually work?

Luckily, I’ve answered the first five questions and have submitted my work to the printers to receive a proof copy of the paperback. Very, very excited. Stay tuned for the ‘unboxing’ when it arrives!

PS: If anyone knows how the Tour de France scoring works, hit me up.