…that Inspired Quill have agreed to publish my third book. Very good news, isn’t it?
I’m actually incredibly excited, and it’s hard to portray that emotion over a blog post without using lots and lots of exclamation marks, which I don’t propose to do any time soon. The book itself is a science-fiction story about a prison planet and its inhabitants.
I shan’t say any more at the moment, as there’s some serious editing to be done, and that’s entirely normal, but suffice to say that it’s a big departure from my previous fantasy books.
I was first published back in 2011 by IQ after being accepted just six months earlier. I was in the rather privileged position of being the second author that IQ signed up, and the first to be published. That’s an honour I don’t downplay, and am still thrilled to accept that banner.
I remember getting that first offer over email from Sara (The Boss) one Saturday, when I was having a coffee with a friend, and it pinged through to my phone. Being the anti-social sod that I am, I glanced at the email and saw Sara’s offer – I actually became speechless for a few moments, which is a rarity in itself. I called my mum, and she won’t mind me saying that she cried a little bit; sorry, mum.
I don’t honestly remember where I first came across IQ, but I remember being impressed with the ethos that Sara was imbuing within the social enterprise that she was just creating; ethical conduct, a passion for innovation and a love of words. That hit the mark with me, and that acceptance began an excellent relationship.
It’s been a learning curve for both of us; since that first book, Sara’s been able to adapt her publishing processes to catch things earlier, make the editing process more exhaustive and get more engagement and publicity for the works. She’s also proved to be a willing listener; whenever I’ve wanted to talk, she’s allowed me the chance, and whenever’s she’s had an idea, I’ve respected her views, as I know she’s considered her opinion carefully.
Book three of my publishing career so far is thrilling; the first two books featured the same books and the same world, whereas now I get the chance to explore something new and different – a new world, a new backstory and new characters. The book itself won’t be out until later on in 2017, but that’s fine; there’s plenty to do before that.
So thank you to everyone who have supported me this far; my family, my friends, readers and fellow geeks – oh, and Inspired Quill, naturally. A very positive future ahead, I think!
This post was written by author Matthew Munson. Matthew lives in Thanet on the north Kent coast, a stone’s throw from the sea. When not writing, Matthew is a disability and sexuality advocate. He focuses specifically on “invisible” disabilities such as dyspraxia through T2D, the charity he co-founded, and on the asexuality spectrum. Find out more on his IQ author page.
Since this article went live, Matthew has released further titles here at Inspired Quill, which you can check out below.
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