I wrote this last night but didn't want to trouble your inbox at a late hour.
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This weekend saw a mini scramble at the Frenchay home office.
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Tweaks, twiddles and tech challenges.

Back & forth with my editor.

But we had good fun.

It was a success.

Hurrah.

The paperback and ebook are done.

Scheduled on Amazon and ready to read.

This Friday, 27 June, if you're up for the challenge.
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Now, you may think where have I been all this time...
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As mentioned last week I did take a little break from writing this newsletter.
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I could say 'life has got in the way'. With a full-time job, wedding planning, keeping fit-ish, padel games, social media scrolling and Yellowstone watching I could certainly make the case. But thinking on it I don't think it is the case.
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I also find the phrase of life getting in the way quite funny... because surely life is meant to be lived not something that is put upon you.
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Anyway, I'm in danger of getting existential.

What I meant to say was that since several months back I've been in dialogue with a fellow (dystopian) author. She's got 10+ books out. And has one series that is smashing it by all accounts.
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She's been kind enough to offer encouragement to me at my stage of the journey and answer a few questions/offer some tricks of the writer trade.
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There was one thing she said that I disregarded at first. I'd heard it before. I didn't want to know. I moved onto another idea. Another question.
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But then I went back, took a screenshot, and before I knew it I had my Toucan guide.
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​"Your best selling tactic right now is your next book" ​
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Those were the words.
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It triggered me to re-read The One Thing by Gary Keller.
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A book which you may scoff at as being too good (simple) to be true.
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Focus on the "one most important thing that makes everything else easier or unnecessary."
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However, it doesn't literally mean you only do one thing all day. Or week even. Action is still allowed.
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My understanding is more that success doesn’t come from doing everything right but from doing the right thing(s).
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Sorry couldn't resist the plural.
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That's when the coconut really hit me on the monkey noggin.
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With my crazy side project, the one thing was Book 2.
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It would make everything else easier.
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Even though Book 1 was already out, and yes, there’s plenty I could (and probably should) be doing to market it, I realised that the next key domino was to stay laser-focused on the next novel.
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So Liv, my family, and friends, would probably joke and say I haven't quite achieved laser-like focus.
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And yet, with a lot of help from others, In Search of Maya is ready to enter the world.
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I hope those of you who enjoyed the first book won't be disappointed.

I'm excited/mildly petrified to let the monkeys loose again.
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But enough about me, what will be will be.
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Hang Comfy,
​J. R. Roberts
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P.S. If you haven't left a rating or review for The Monkey State yet, please consider doing so here. There's a chance to hit the big 5 0 half century by Friday. If so, bananas on me 🍌🐒
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​P.P.S. To those of you off to Glastonbury Festival, I'm not jealous at all... Have a wonderful time whatever the weather.