It’s 1st of December again! Where does the time go?
If you’ve been reading this blog for a year or more, you’ll know that we have a little tradition of asking creative types to review their year. Every day in December, there’ll be a different guest talking about their 2017.
Kicking us off this year is the lovely Rob Scragg who I’ve had the pleasure of hosting at Noir at the Bar twice this year. Rob’s debut novel is due out next year. Anyway, I’ll let him tell you more…
Vic x
Do you have a favourite memory professionally from 2017?
That would have to be when I found out I had offers from two publishers for my debut. My wife and I had been away for a week, and we touched down at Heathrow around 6 a.m. When I turned my phone back on, the first e-mail I had through was from my agent. I did my best to do a little victory dance in my seat without looking like too much of a lunatic. I’ve now got a two book deal with Allison & Busby, first one due out in April 2018, called “What Falls Between the Cracks“.
If I can be cheeky and sandwich two in here, I also loved taking part in Noir at the Bar. I was lucky enough to do two in 2017 – Newcastle and Harrogate. The Newcastle one, courtesy of Vic Watson and Jacky Collins, was the first time I’d read any of my work out in public, so a bit nerve-wracking, but loved every minute of it. Since gone on to read in front of much bigger crowds, like the Crime In The Spotlight debut slot at Bloody Scotland, but NaTB will always be a special one for me.
And how about a favourite moment from 2017 generally?
I’m going to go all soppy here and say the moment my wife told me she was pregnant. She’d been away to California for a week on a conference, and once she’d unpacked, came downstairs to say she had a little pressie for me. Turned out it wasn’t anything from California – it was the positive pregnancy test. That came just a few weeks after I found out about my publishing deal, so May 2017 was one of the best months of my life so far.
Favourite book in 2017?
It’s been hard enough to pick a top five this year, let alone a single book. There a few I have to give an honourable mention to – I, Witness by Niki Mackay, Want You Gone by Chris Brookmyre and Sometimes I Lie by Alice Feeney.
Top of the pile though, has to be Mississippi Blood by Greg Iles. It’s the third in a trilogy, that blew me away and gave me severe author envy; the kind of book you can’t wait to finish, but never want to end.
Favourite film in 2017?
Mine is Split, starring one of my favourite actors, James McAvoy. He plays a man with 23 different personalities, and to see how he switches on the screen between some of them, is amazing to watch.
Favourite song of the year?
Don’t judge me too harshly for having an old one, but I’m going to go with Do They Know it’s Christmas – the original 80’s version. My wife and I have a hardcore group of friends, other couples we hang out with, and every time we finish up in a karaoke bar (remember what I asked about the judging), the guys and I always end up singing it. I don’t even remember exactly where the tradition started, only that I now associate that song with some of the best nights out I’ve had, with some of the best people.
Any downsides for you in 2017?
Honestly, no, at least not so far. It’s been an exciting year all round, what with finding out we have a little boy on the way, the book deal. Ask me again on 31st December just to be sure though 🙂
Are you making resolutions for 2018?
I don’t do resolutions at the turn of the year as a rule. I’m more of a “If I want to do it, let’s not wait till 1st January” kind of guy. That having been said, I want to carve out time to try writing a children’s book next year, in whatever gaps I have with the writing/editing/publishing hamster wheel I’ve now jumped on. It’s an idea I had around a year ago, and I’d love to have that one done and published in time to read it with my son when he’s old enough to appreciate it.
What are you hoping for from 2018?
Apart from Donald Trump getting impeached, there are two other biggies. First is for everything to go smoothly in January, when my son is due to be born. Can’t wait to meet him. Secondly, my debut novel is out on 19th April. I’m enough of a realist to know I can’t pack in the day job just yet, if ever, so I just hope that it does well enough to find a place amongst what, let’s face it, is some pretty stiff competition out there. As an aside, I’m hoping to get to a lot more of the writing festivals on offer in 2018, both as a fan and as an author, so if you see me propping up the bar at any of them, come and say hi.
elementaryvwatson 