Cover Quotes

21st March, 2008

Writing a book is one thing.  Selling a book is quite another.  I'm beginning to try and get my head around the idea that once you put something out for publication then you are relinquishing control. 

They're my words, but everything else from the cover, the quotes, the marketing angle, sales figures and so on to the way that a reader responds to the book is sort of nothing to do with me really.  I can do my best to help things along, but ultimately it is long gone. It's a strange feeling.

Anyway, one of the things that my publishers had asked me to do was to think of someone to write me a cover quote. Caroline Smailes  had already agreed to write one and so I needed another....

Last week I handed over a hard copy of the manuscript to a wonderful writer who I admire.  She had agreed to read the novel and give me a cover quote if she liked it.  She's a fabulous, entertaining, wise and deliciously irreverent woman and so normally I enjoy her company, but my hair was clenched together in embarassment knowing that she was going to be reading the novel. 

I was scared she would hate it.

I thought she might email me and say that actually she couldn't think of a single nice thing to say about the book, so sorry.

I nearly emailed her to say 'Please don't read it.'

But I stood my ground and a few days later received a very lovely email with this cover quote:

'Sharp, witty and unnervingly streetwise, Wyllie is a name you're going to hear more of.' Carol Clewlow

Wow! 

I'm a huge fan of Carol's writing and for any of you interested in hunting out a gem then after you have read A Woman's Guide to Adultery and Not Married, Not Bothered then aim for One for The Money which is also fabulous and I think can still be found on amazon.

I first started reading Carol's books when I was in my early 20's and still think her commentry on life, love and the universe is a valuable and unique voice.  As I have told her, I would crawl over every lambrini soaked torso in Bigg Market to write like her....

So it is very surreal that she has now written a cover quote for my first novel.

Surreal but nice!!!!

xxx