“I obsess over the possibility of bad reviews and brood over them when they come. But they don’t get me down for long. I just kill a few children and old ladies, and then I’m right as a trivet again.”
Stephen King, Four Past Midnight
New Gillion Street has been out for over a month now, and I can say with some certitude that it’s been an incredible ride so far. It’s brilliant to see my hard work finally coming to fruition. I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished and determined to enjoy it to its fullest.
As a writer, the highest possible accolade is when you find out someone enjoyed reading something you wrote, especially a perfect stranger. Not that it’s not amazing when your friends and family like your work, of course! But there is always a little inkling that they’re just saying that because they’re your friends and family. When strangers say something nice about a book, they do it because they felt compelled to do so. They appreciated it enough to announce it to the world. Forget drugs and alcohol; praise is the only intoxicant I need! Give me more! I’ll glutton myself on that sumptuous stew any day!
But seriously, I really appreciate the reviewers and bloggers who participated in the Blog Tour of New Gillion Street. It has given my little book a lot of exposure, and that kind of thing is very hard to come by!
I wanted to share some of them here so that you, dear reader, can see them. Each link will take you to the full review, which can be either on Goodreads, Instagram, or a website.
(Warning: some of them include mild spoilers, so read with caution!)
1. Bookphace - “The writing sparkles along with the pace and clarity reaching a conclusion that should satisfy us all.”
2. The Book Magnet - “Highly original and incredibly imaginative, New Gillion Street is a very entertaining novel with a strong sense of community at its heart.”
3. Emzysbooks - “This was a brilliant sci-fi book that kept me intrigued from start to finish, and I would 100% recommend!”
4. Books with Becki - “New Gillion Street is such an immersive and intriguing read.”
5. Becca Reads Books - “This book was funny, intriguing, and has everything you want from a dystopia.”
6. The Northern Bookworm - “I was quickly sucked into Elliot’s engrossing tale, which has mystery, monsters and occasional merriment.”
7. Jess_n_er_bookz – “This is my first time reading a book by this author, and I was not disappointed.”
8. Melanie to be Read – “The characters are a delight and so very well written that you can visualise them.”
9. Owen Hollifield – “What a fantastic read. Well written – clever – brilliant! I highly recommend this book to all fans of superb writing.”
10. Hannah Stewart – “It’s about finding humanity amidst conflict, embracing curiosity, and not giving up.”
11. Book Worm Escapes – “I enjoyed all of it, but the second half was just so vividly detailed, imaginative, and thoroughly gorgeous to read.”
12. Things Amy Read – “A funny, fast-paced and sometimes fantastical read.”
13. Robert Welbourn – “Harper’s prose is reminiscent of some of the finest writers in this country has produced. He writes in a style classic in nature, and yet post-modern in both form and content.”
If you haven’t bought New Gillion Street yet – shame on you! - I hope these quotes and reviews have tantalised you enough to part with your hard-earned money. As you can see, you won’t regret it! (See links at the bottom.)
On a final note, Fly on the Wall Press has just won the regional final for North England for Small Press of the Year. It’s a fantastic achievement for a one-woman-run publisher. Congratulations, Isabelle.
Thanks for reading.
Elliot J Harper
Author of New Gillion Street, available to buy directly from Fly on the Wall Press, Waterstones, and Amazon in paperback and Kindle.