FEATURE


EACH YEAR IN THE


WORLD OF BOOKS, A FRESH, EAGER CROP OF NEW WRITERS LAUNCH THEIR FIRST


NOVEL. EXPERIENCED AUTHOR NICHOLAS


ROYLE CONSIDERS THE UPS AND DOWNS OF DEBUT SEASON


I’M WRITING THIS the day aſter attending the launch party of a debut novel. Shouldn’t I be lying down in a darkened room? Well, (a) this wasn’t my first novel, and (b) the launch took place in the London Buddhist Centre, where such events are marked with meditation and celebrated with cups of tea. Te novel in question was Whatever Happened to Harold Absalon? by Simon Okotie. Tere may not have been any alcohol flowing, but Simon seemed as excited and full of hope as any other


25 welovethisbook.com


first-time novelist. He will have been feeling that he was on the verge of a new adventure. He may have been thinking about reviews, seeing his book in the shops, the possibility of being shortlisted for awards. He may have been thinking about walking down the street and being asked for his autograph. Tat was how I felt when my own


first novel was published 20 years ago. Counterparts was published by tiny Barrington Books aſter being rejected by every publisher in London, including Penguin, which


THE FIRST


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70