For almost as long as I can remember, I’ve had a dream. I don’t mean the recurring nightmare in which I’ve committed a murder a very long time ago and am about to be discovered – (does anybody else have that?!) No, the dream I’m talking about is the one where I’m sitting in Waterstones signing copies of my very own book.

A week ago, that dream came true! And I sat at the author’s table in the wonderful Sillitoe Room at Waterstones Nottingham, glass of Prosecco in hand, looking at a queue of people lining up, clutching copies of Blue Tide Rising, ready for signing.

Before the signing came the nerve-wracking bit – standing in front of a room full of people talking about my work and reading a few extracts. I also did a Q&A with Sheelagh Gallagher, one of the greatest literary minds in Nottingham and the best-read person I know. She was kind to me before throwing questions open to the floor.

I was among friends, which made it less scary. Plus most of them had not yet read the book, so weren’t in a position to point out plot holes or question my literary decisions. Questions ranged from, ‘are any of the characters in the book real people?’ (No – this is a work of fiction… ) to ‘how much say did you have in the cover design? (quite a lot, given the collaborative process favoured by my publisher Inspired Quill).

I also gave a platform to two writers from Maggie’s Nottingham. Both read pieces that fitted with themes of the book – around finding voice, identity and a safe place in the world. That made it more comfortable because it wasn’t all about me.

The event came after a week of frenetic preparations, including media interviews with Kemet FM (a local independent rap station), BBC Radio Nottingham and the Nottingham Post – article here. I was also profiled by Nottingham author and blogger Kristina Adams in her hugely popular Writers Cookbook blog. You can read the interview here.

LeftLion, the brilliant Nottingham arts and culture mag, came to the launch, did a short writeup – although they’ve added ten years to me! They also have a copy of the book to review.

At the event, I was battling a lurgy. Practising the readings earlier that day my voice almost gave out, giving me something in common with our Prime Minister – hopefully the only thing. My voice lasted the course then packed in the next day, rendering me speechless for three whole days. Funny how adrenaline keeps you going then your body says: ‘no more!”

So now the book is officially out there, what do I do now? Sit back and wait for the reviews and the royalties to roll in? Sadly not. There is much to do to push it out to a wider audience, promote myself and my book and generally build engagement in this digital world of ours.

Plus there’s the small matter of writing the next one…

One of the questions on the day was about my next novel. Here’s what I have so far. A bunch of baby-boomers decide to buy up their old college building and turn it into a retirement home for themselves. A place where they make the rules and can recreate their student days. It doesn’t all go according to plan…

Looking back on launch day, the whole thing had a dreamlike quality. I had a fabulous team of helpers who ensured the event ran smoothly. I am hugely grateful to those who supported me by shifting books, setting up the room, handling sales, playing music, pouring Prosecco, baking cakes, taking photos, coming to the launch and, of course, buying copies of Blue Tide Rising!

And if you couldn’t make it on the day but would like to buy the book, you can do so here: