Now into my art

'Sunset over Polzeath'

Well, if writing wasn't enough I have now taken up art - which is why I haven't added to my news feed for a while (gosh, is it February when I last posted? Doesn't time just fly away!) and why I still haven't finished my second novel. I thought I'd try one for teens this time.

They always say the second novel is the hardest and it's true, I just dilly dally around it and make excuses why I haven't got around to finishing it yet.I also make the excuse that I want to concentrate on marketing 'Flying Shed' but then I am waiting for the 'youwriteon' people to complete their new publishing service so I can get out the 2nd edition with all the typo's gone and a new cover and everything.

It's true that authors find any excuse to put off their writing, then they don't have to get it out to try and get it published, or marketed - the reason being is that then you don't have the hurt of people rejecting it or telling you how bad it is !!

Now art on the other hand - well, that's totally different - you can do anything, and call it 'art' and someone, somewhere pay money for it. Isn't that great!

I saw a half finished drawing on a huge canvas with a few splodges of emulsion in a fine art galery a couple of weeks ago with a £7500 price tag on it - wow!

There is hope for me yet folks.....

Hey, I got my first press release in the Express & Star - Cannock and Lichfield edition, of Friday 12th Feb 2010.

Head of Estates, Ian Sanday, with his first published book 'Space Ace and The Flying Shed' at South Staffordshire College, Rodbaston Campus, Penkridge.

South Staffordshire College's Head of Estates, Ian Sanday is reaching for the stars following the publication of his first novel.

Thanks to a grant from the Arts Council, Ian has been able to publish his book Space Ace and The Flying Shed,

The book is primarily aimed at the 8 to 12 years age group and features a garden shed that turns into a time machine.

It has had excellent reviews from adults who have purchased it for their children and have ended up reading it for themselves.

Manjit Ubhi, Head of Finance at South Staffordshire College, purchased a copy for her Nephew, but read it herself. "You have to read it cover to cover, I couldn't put it down. If you like the Incredibles and Spy Kids, you will enjoy this book," she said.

Ian has had short stories published before receiving a grant to publish his first novel.

The first chapter of the book can be read on http://www.iansanday.com/. Copies can be purchased through Amazon. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Space-Ace-Flying-Shed-Sanday/dp/1849231087/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1266140519&sr=1-1

Ian is now working on his second novel - Space Ace and the Roaming Romans

Marketing is going well

Some good news on the marketing front - I have had an article printed about the publication of my first book in the monthly news letter at work, which has generated a good deal of interest and a number of book sales for 'Space Ace and The Flying Shed' - so thanks to all those that have recently purchased a book.

It now means that there a very few first editions left (the copy with all the deliberate mistakes) and I am hurriedly working on the revised 2nd edition, which should have a new cover and all the typo's corrected - which will mean that the limited run of the first edition (there are only 100 in print) could be worth a mint when I become a 1 million book best selling author.

In between working through editing the next book 'Space Ace and the Roaming Romans' and revising the first book, and working on a marketing plan, I have suddenly become very busy

Oh yes, a local well known national bookstore has also given me a strong indication that they will put 'Space Ace and The Flying Shed' on their shelves, so watch this space!