Not Recommended for Twee Lovers

With the support of some kindly folks at the Scottish Arts Council, my publishers at Luath Press are putting together a newsletter. Luath have asked me to provide them with some information on what I've been doing lately.

Shameless self-publicist that I am, I’m happy to oblige. Milk Treading is a novel set in a city of civilized cats and dogs, without all the tweeness that description promises. These are gritty kitties prowling mean streets, with hopes and fears and difficult relationships and all the kinds of things a human reader can relate to, whether they’re an animal lover or not.

Milk Treading has been available in the US for a while now, and I’ve received a favorable response to the book from everyone who’s read it (except for the lady who was disappointed with the lack of twee… and come to think of it, there was a gentleman who wished the story was longer, because he was enjoying it so much he didn’t want it to end).

There’s been a couple of backhanded comments from book reviewers, but being a member of their evil brethren myself I can understand why. Who wants to read a review where everything’s sweetness and light all the time?

In order to raise my profile (and ultimately, that of the book) I’ve been acting, directing and generally sticking my head out of my lowly writer’s garret and trying not to make a fool of myself. I won’t learn anything about life – and in the process, become a better writer – by sitting at home dreaming all day. It’s when I’m teaching and learning and working (not writing) that I pick up those life lessons that crop up in my stories.

So what have I been doing lately? I’ve been working hard and living life, the best things a writer can do. If a few people hear about my book along the way, my publishers will no doubt be very happy.