In which Charlotte is befriended by Cinderella’s mice

Cinderella’s helpers (pic chosen because Charlotte is always sewing or mending).

Those who’ve been following the progress of my debut novel Charlotte will know it began as a fairy tale, right from the magical night in Ireland when she was conceived. Then came the dream: two-book international deal! Book fairs and signings planned in two countries! Window displays booked for Waterstones! Bath Literature Festival! The prettiest gown/cover in all the land! (I’m a tad biased, but LOOK at that cover.) Off to the ball in a glittering coach! (well, a Boeing.)

And on the eve of the ball, a dystopian science-fiction writer with a mean streak got hold of the plot, and a world pandemic locked Charlotte in a basement (a printer’s warehouse, in fact) from which she will officially emerge, blinking among the beetles, on 3 September.

So the print book will launch at last in a few days time — but there’s a very big BUT. It will do so along with SIX HUNDRED other post-lockdown books in the UK. David Nicholls explains why this is such a disaster, especially for debut novelists and marginalised writers, in this excellent piece.

Poor Charlotte! It feels as if, decked out in all her finery, she’s put her foot on the step of the glass coach, only to have it turn back into a pumpkin.

This has also made life twice as difficult for the tireless publicity team at Bonnier Zaffre, my UK publishers. They began planning the May launch in October 2019, and got my book precious and excellent coverage. Mentions or reviews or interviews in magazines, news platforms and more, ranging from the Guardian to Stylist to the Sunday Times (UK).

And then came the pandemic, and everything paused, a bit like Sleeping Beauty’s court (to mix up fairy tales for a minute). We launched the e- and audiobooks in May to take advantage of the momentum, but now the print book is coming out in the book equivalent of the Oklahoma Stampede — and the launches will still have to be virtual. My hard-working publicists have had to blow away cobwebs and cut down briars to generate attention all over again, but now alongside the most intense competition ever seen in the book industry.

Is there good news? Yes indeed. Even as Charlotte risks getting trampled in the crush, all sorts of good people have rushed to assist. There’s a perception that authors are a backstabbing lot, jealously guarding their patches, and sadly, I am not a stranger to professional envy. But I have been amazed and tremendously moved by the outpouring of support and mutual encouragement coming from international and British communities of authors. I’ve been embraced (virtually, of course) by total strangers. Book bloggers have been simply incredible. Libraries, book clubs, online reading groups: they’ve all flocked to help. Industrious mice and godmothers keep presenting me with more print and radio interviews and platform opportunities. I’m now part of a Twitter #3rdSeptembers group assembled by Natasha Randall (@NatashaRandall) to generate mutual support. (Update: Natasha is quoted in this BBC piece.) The impetus seems to be coming mostly (90%) from women authors, many of whom are dealing with grim pandemic fallout (some are ill, some are grieving, many are in financial straits), and yet they have the generosity to stretch out hands to others. Today I was interviewed by Antonia Honeywell (@antonia_writes) for her book programme on Chiltern Voice (one of several events lined up for launch day), and she was so warm and kind to me, it felt like visiting an old friend.

As far away as Canada, Louize of The Page Walker book blog gave Charlotte spotlight space, so this is a very good time for my North American friends to give me feedback on whether you can order via Amazon or Waterstones in the UK now that there is an actual object you can purchase. (I just checked, and Amazon.com already has two “used paperbacks” for sale. Interesting, given that the hardcover only launches next week, and the trade paperback in a few months’ time. I wonder if these are stray ARCs, which have NOT FOR SALE stamped all over?)

And then there’s been the support and enthusiasm right here at home. Friends and strangers in South African cyberspace have gone to great lengths to make the online and audio versions of Charlotte welcome, and now, with no signs of fatigue, they’re assembling to celebrate her print appearance. As of next week, those of you who pre-ordered her will at LAST be getting your books; she will be on the shelves of your favourite bookshop in a week (thanks to Exclusive Books for choosing her as a featured book for October); and if you would like a signed copy, please order from the Book Lounge, and I will go in and do the necessary with love and gratitude.

I feel I must pay this support the attention it deserves, so this is the start of a stream of Charlotte spam that will follow over the next few weeks. Some useful news: Amazon in the UK has chosen her for their Kindle promotion, so for the entire month of September, you can buy the e-book for only 99p! (I will remind you of this. Often.)

As Charlotte was a thrifty soul, I should also point out that pre-ordering the print edition in the next few days will still save a bob or two: you’ll get two quid off the hardback from Waterstones if you’re in Blighty; and in South Africa, you can likewise pre-order from Upper Case or Loot for 20% off the list price.

Meanwhile, the first sightings of Charlotte in the wild have been made. I haven’t seen her in the flesh (paper?) yet, but my publisher sent photos from her home office in London, as did Elinor Sisulu, who has been such a good friend to me and to Charlotte, as well as a great fellow Austenite and Colin Firth fan for many years now — and who rang me in delight yesterday to let me know her copy had arrived per kind courtesy of Jonathan Ball.

The international paperback edition arrives! Photo by Elinor Sisulu.

Hardback edition: spine and back cover. Photo by Margaret Stead.