THE BRITISH EDITION OF RISK

The British edition of The Risk of Infidelity Index is now out in Great Britain. You can buy it at Amazon for £7.79.

Or better yet do go your bookstore and pay £12.99. Bookstore owners deserve to make a living like anyone else. And God knows that Amazon is rich enough.

I am pleased with the cover design. The designer captured the noir spirit I seek to create in the Calvino series. Great cover, compelling story, an internationally published crime fiction series, so what happens next should be easy, right?

Not really. What if nothing happens next? It is a sinking feeling to be 6 time zones away from the book that has been published. You want to be there doing something. But what can be done at a distance?

A lot of Cambridge boats have sunk in the annual race on the Cherwell since I was a student in England. Assuming that with global warming, there still is a Cherwell River deep enough to race boats.

The question I face, is no different than any other new authors to a marketplace, is whether readers in Great Britain will buy my book. Few people would have heard of the Vincent Calvino series. British travelers to Thailand might have run across my books in Bangkok. But even they wouldn’t know the book is out in England. Unless, of course, someone told them. But my dream of a flashing arrow sign over the stack of RISK nicely laid out on the new arrivals table at Blackwell’s isn’t likely to happen any time soon.

Where to start? What to do? A photograph of Tony Blair strolling along the tarmac with a copy of RISK in hand might help bring attention of the media. But he’d have to explain that book to Cherie. He’s probably the wrong choice. There is Boris. He’s safely elected as Mayor of London. From what I’ve read about him, he’s the kind of lad that would like Vincent Calvino’s adventures. Though I suspect he’s getting a cartload of books dumped on his doorstep every day. I didn’t say the idea was original. All it requires is a bit of luck.

Gordon Brown, is, I understand, and avid reader. He should be on the shortlist. But, then his popularity collapse might be bad for the book. One should always choose a winner in this business. Brown’s star isn’t looking all that bright. There must be some backbencher, someone if the House of Lords who would suit.

While I am waiting for my piece of luck to appear and lift RISK to the attention of British reader, I have a couple of thoughts.

In publishing a precondition to a bit of luck happening requires potential readers need to know that RISK is available. That is a modern challenge as getting reviewed is only slightly less difficult than getting published in the first place. If any reader would care to share an idea on how to get the word out in Britain, please email me. Maybe the name of the right member of the House of Lords would do the trick.

I am not bothered if the person makes a living in TV or sports. These public figures have millions of people who follow their every move, what they wear, drive, eat, and read. I’ve been assured at least a few of them actually read books. But there are dangers here as well. Like Brown, they may be on their way out and at this distance, I’d be the last to know I’d backed someone who was just cut from squad at Manchester City. Just send along the names of the up and comers. I need all the help finding that spot of luck somewhere on that emerald island I once called home.