At last! After months of wishing, hoping and doing more PR than I ever thought was possible (thanks Avon and LightBrigade you’ve been amazing) the day is finally here – it’s publication day for ‘The Accident’.

In some ways publication day is a lot like New Year’s Eve when you’re in your early twenties. There’s a build up (what to wear, where to go, who to celebrate with), excitement and a lot of expectation (it’s New Year’s Eve, we have to have an amazing night!) and then, when the actual event occurs there’s a tiny feeling of anti-climax.

Getting flowers from your publishers is wonderful, as are all the well wishes and tweets from friends, families and readers but with with the arrival of publication day comes a sense of relief rather than excitement. It’s finally here, I can relax. And it’s out of your hands. You’ve done everything you can to try and make your day (night out) a good one and now it’s in the lap of the gods (or how pissed your friends get).

Mostly I feel a tremendous sense of achievement. A story I dreamed up when I was in the grip of undiagnosed Post Natal Depression has become a book. A real, live ‘oh my god other people are going to read it’ novel. Whether your characters resemble you or not you pour a lot of yourself into a novel (that’s why one star reviews sting so much) and having a book published is a bit like standing in the middle of the street in one of those ‘Look Good Naked’ shows and asking complete strangers to comment on the flabby bits you normally keep hidden.

Some people will put you down and point out your flaws. Other people will point out your good points. And others will look at you and think, ‘you remind me a lot of me’. And that’s why I do it. That’s why I continue to write books even though it’s knackering and nerve-shredding. That’s why we all do it. To connect with people.

So off you go ‘The Accident’ – stride into TESCO, ASDA, WHSmiths and Amazon in all your naked glory. I’m standing right next to you (and thinking about next year’s New Year’s Eve).

Click here to read the Goodreads reviews of THE ACCIDENT

Click here to order your copy of The Accident from Amazon or here to order it from your local independent bookseller.