OCTOBER 2020

It’s October and my latest novel ‘Back to School’ has now been on sale for over a month. Many thanks to the huge number of readers who have been in touch to say how much they enjoyed stepping back in time to share Jack’s early career in a tough school in the West Riding of Yorkshire.

This novel is the 13th in the Teacher series and I have already submitted number 14 to my editor for publication next year. This one is set in 1976/77 and is a prequel to the first novel in the original series, ‘Teacher, Teacher!’ set in 1977/78.  

Sadly, I was unable to do my usual signing tour owing to current restrictions and this has been a disappointment. It has always been good to catch up with my readers but this year has proved the exception. Likewise my long awaited Literary Lunch event at the prestigious Royal Automobile Club in Pall Mall has also had to be postponed until next year.

Last month I left my self-isolation to visit the ISIS studio studio in Oxford to make an audio recording of ‘Back to School’. For a couple of days I sat in front of a lectern and a microphone reading a hard copy in large print on A4 paper. The studio engineer was excellent and completed successfully an unabridged version lasting around ten hours. Thanks to all my partially-sighted fans out there who have encouraged me to continue recording each novel. I know this brings some relaxing entertainment to your lives.  

Currently I’m coming to the end of a period of Blog Tours and Zoom meetings . . . a new experience for me! This included an invitation from the Open University to participate in an on line panel with my neighbour and best-selling author Carole Matthews. It was great fun and hosted with great enthusiasm by the effervescent Cinnomen McGuigan. The audience comprised around 500 students and the questions related to our work as authors. It was definitely a lively event and can be viewed here.

Also last week I was invited to be a guest of the Milton Keynes Literary Festival on line event showcasing the terrific talent in this area following their creative writing competition. Poets and writers were given the platform to read their work with great success.

So, busy times in this strange new world of Covid!

In the meantime, best wishes to you all, keep safe and happy reading,

Jack