Today is something of a red letter day as Chris finally received his author copies of The Islanders, and I almost fell down the stairs in the rush to open the door to the courier.
The book looks amazing. The first promotional gig has been organised by AltFiction and will take place at QUAD in Derby on Wednesday September 14th. Chris will be reading from The Islanders, followed by an interview and questions, and there will also be a special screening of The Prestige. The London launch will be at Foyles bookshop on Thursday September 29th, and then it’s off to FantasyCon, where there will be a Q&A and signing in Bar Rogue on Saturday September 30th at 1pm. Chris will also be interviewing Brian Aldiss in the Russell Room at 4pm, which should be a lot of fun for both of them.
It has been a joy and a rare privilege to see this novel take shape, and watching it leave the nest is so exciting but it is odd too, because the book is no longer private. It belongs to everyone now.
The Islanders is like nothing Chris has ever written before. It plays games with form that set the heart racing. It spins the idea of the crime novel around until it’s breathless. It takes you into territory you thought you knew and then leaves you wondering. It contains prose that shimmers with beauty and the clear, limpid light of the Dream Archipelago.
It also has giant insects in it. It’s a wonderful book. Come and say hello and get your copy signed at one of the gigs.
