Kindle editions discounted for Christmas

As a Christmas gift to my readers, the Kindle editions of my two full-length novels, The Only Genuine Jones and The Atholl Expedition, have been reduced in price from £1.99 to 98p. This offer will run for ten days until New Year's Eve.

I'm afraid I don't have a new book to release this year, but if you have yet to read one of my existing titles — or if you are lucky enough to receive a shiny new Kindle for Christmas — then this is the best possible time to get involved.

If you'd like to help me out, please spread the word by sharing this blog post on social media or telling friends and family the old fashioned way, by word of mouth! Many thanks, and happy Christmas to all my readers.

The Only Genuine Jones

"A smooth read ... the author's passion for his subject matter is abundant on every page."

TGO Magazine official review (April 2013)

"Read [it] as a novel and it's a real page turner, building up a flawed but believable hero in parallel with a villain that manages to elicit feelings of sympathy at times. Read it as a mountaineering book and you'll start questioning your own knowledge of history. Either way you'll be left wanting more."

MyOutdoors official review

The Atholl Expedition
Shortlisted for the Outdoor Book of the Year Award 2014

"... an exciting and well-written adventure story but it also goes deeper into that, both into the history of the period and the psychology of the characters. It's one of the best works of mountaineering fiction I've read."

TGO magazine official review

"A swashbuckling tale of outdoor adventure, bringing together some epic wild locations and great storytelling."

TRAIL magazine official review

"A book for anyone who loves wild places and cracking good yarns ... I love the fictional/philosophical mix of Alex’s writing and he has a wonderful eye for the unseen."

Review by outdoor blogger Alistair Young

The camera of the Abraham brothers returns to the Lakeland crags

Readers of my historical novel The Only Genuine Jones will be familiar with the brothers George and Ashley Abraham: climbing photographers from Keswick in the Lake District who teamed up with O.G. Jones to document many of his pioneering first ascents in the late 19th century. In my short story Crowley's Rival, Jones borrows a camera from the Abrahams' photographic studio and gets into difficulties while trying to descend a gully on Great Gable in the company of a young Aleister Crowley. This was a true incident documented from both sides of the dispute. In fact, it's arguable that the bulky camera tripod that made Jones so clumsy on the descent was partially responsible for the rivalry between Jones and Crowley, both in reality and my fictional narrative.

I was delighted to find out that one of the cameras formerly owned by the Abraham brothers has been loaned to the Mountain Heritage Trust, and currently resides in the Keswick Museum along with selected images from the Abrahams' collection.

This particular camera is an Underwood Instanto, manufactured by the E & T Underwood Company in Birmingham. This model was produced from around 1886 to 1905 and is made from mahogany and brass, with leather bellows. Although the Instanto was made in quarter plate, half plate and whole plate sizes, this specimen takes 10x12 inch plates. It's a gorgeous machine — but extremely bulky, which as we shall see is an important consideration for mountain use. The Instanto camera was sold for between £2 4s 6d and £6 2s when new.

The owner of the camera, who has loaned it to the MHT, is keen for it to be used once again in a mountain environment. On the 20th of April 2014 it returned to the crags of Scafell to take part in the centenary anniversary of the first ascent of The Great Flake climb on Central Buttress, which was one of the greatest pre-war rock climbs of the Lake District.

Professional photographer Henry Iddon is currently working on a fascinating project involving this camera. He intends to use the Instanto to record contemporary rock climbing images, in much the same way that the Abraham brothers used it to document the leading climbers of their era. I think anyone with an interest in either photography or mountaineering will agree that this is remarkable. Will a modern digital camera from the year 2014 still be operational a century from now? I very much doubt it.

Central Buttress, Scafell. This is a contemporary image captured
with the Instanto camera.

On a personal level, I find it extraordinary that a camera used by characters who feature in my works of fiction — and, indeed, it may even be the camera from Crowley's Rival — is still being used today. Projects like this make me very aware of both my privilege and responsibility in writing about these people and events.

I got in touch with Henry Iddon and asked him a few questions about the Instanto project.

1. Using a 19th century camera in the mountains must be dramatically different to using a modern DSLR, or even a more traditional film camera. What has the experience taught you about the skills and techniques of the pioneering mountain photographers?

Using the 10x12 is similar to using my 5x4 which I've been shooting "A Place to Go" on. Obviously the size makes it very cumbersome and you need a lot of space to operate it — loading a film into the dark slides is a performance as it needs a room, not a changing bag!

Everything has to be planned and worked through a process. Back then they used pre-prepared glass plates — we're using custom-made Ilford FP4 film which I source when Ilford do a bespoke service for unusual film sizes once a year, usually in August. Twenty-five sheets cost in the region of £160. We've also worked closely with Pete Guest at Image Darkroom in London.

After some trial and error we now know the process time for the film that gives a good negative. Because the camera has no shutter — exposure is by taking the lens cap on and off — and as we're using modern emulsion we're relying on processing and the exposure latitude of the emulsion to get a good exposure.

The Fell & Rock Climbing Club

2. What are the main challenges in using such a bulky camera in the mountain environment?

As with any large format camera in an outdoor environment the big issue is wind. The camera, and particularly the bellows, act like a sail — and movement or vibration would result in a blurred image — so it is only feasible to use it on still days. It also takes a while to set up. Being literally a museum piece we have to handle it with care.

As there is no tripod fitting we've had a table made for it to sit in with straps across. This table has a film camera tripod bracket attached to it so we can use a hefty tripod designed for a pro video camera. It's remarkable to think that the American photographer Carleton Watkins shot the US landscape, including Yosemite, in the 1860s using a camera taking 18x22-inch plates. And in 1875 another American photographer, William Henry Jackson, astounded the photography world by packing a 20x24-inch plate camera into the Rocky Mountains.

3. What can you tell me about your future plans for this project?

The camera is now in the Keswick Museum until May 2015 as part of the Mountain Heritage Trust exhibition. The plan is to use the camera to photograph some notable climbing achievements of the present day along with some contemporary mountain landscapes. So a camera owned by those who were, in many ways, the first action sports photographers and used 100 years ago will be returning to active service and record the leading lights of now. At the same time we'll be contrasting it with the latest technologies such as the DJI Phantom drones.

James McHaffie climbing on Reecastle Crag

Many thanks to Henry for these fascinating details of the photographic project — and don't forget, if you want to see the Instanto camera yourself it is on display at the Keswick Museum until May.

All images © Henry Iddon — All Rights Reserved.

Further reading

Visit Henry Iddon's website

Read about the MHT Residency at the Keswick Museum

"Climbing into War, a Justified Art" by Claire Carter: article on Siegried Herford and the first ascent of the Central Buttress

Christmas paperback stock update

It's that time of year again! Paperback copies of my novels have been flying off the virtual shelves over the last couple of weeks, and I have received several queries about stock levels, so I thought I'd make an official update.

As of this morning, The Atholl Expedition is sold out on Amazon UK, and there is only one copy of The Only Genuine Jones left in stock.

My own personal stocks are also running very low. I have one signed copy of The Atholl Expedition available, and The Only Genuine Jones is sold out.

Other sources for my books

All is not lost — you can still order my books from Waterstones, direct from the printing firm, or (at a significant price premium) even from Ebay. Please note that most of these sources specify a longer delivery time, so you should order immediately to be sure of getting your copy before Christmas.

For full listings of sources for my books, including the eBook versions which are always available, see the book pages on my website:

The Only Genuine Jones
The Atholl Expedition

Announcing the Pinnacle Editorial Press edition of The Only Genuine Jones

Regular readers will be aware that I recently started a new job as a freelance editor and literary consultant. I started Pinnacle Editorial in July, and it's been going from strength to strength.

As part of my new line of work I have been taking a critical look at my own books. The editing has always been top notch — I have Clare to thank for that — but I have long been aware that a few small tweaks might make the books even better. I decided to establish a self-publishing imprint, Pinnacle Editorial Press, to handle all my future publications and to bring a more consistent look to existing ones.

To all practical intents and purposes, little is actually changing. I'm still publishing my own books and using the same business model. The key difference is perception: readers will now see published by Pinnacle Editorial Press, which makes a big difference.

It will improve quality, too. My first job is to create a style guide for the new imprint: a complete specification of how my published books will be formatted and presented to the reader. There was no consistency between the look of my first and second novels, but that's about to change.

The new Kindle edition of The Only Genuine Jones

The first item on my list was cover design.

My original cover for The Only Genuine Jones was striking and I have received many compliments on how well it fitted the subject matter. The cover was designed by the talented John Amy. Striking it may have been, particularly at thumbnail size, but gradually the look of my work changed. I decided to create a new one, specifically designed to adhere to my new style guide.

The new cover uses typography which will be consistent with future books. The slight sepia tone reinforces the historical genre. The more prominent author name and puff quote, not to mention the "Pinnacle Editorial Press" logo, help to build gravity and authority. It is, in short, a better cover.

Apart from slight changes to the copyright pages, there no changes to the book's interior.

The new paperback edition

I'm also working on a new paperback version of OGJ, using the typographical format of The Atholl Expedition as a template. I'm also switching the printing company from FeedARead to IngramSpark (largely so I have more control over which bookstores can order the book). This edition won't be available for a few months, so for now the first edition with the original cover will remain on sale.

A plea to reviewers of The Only Genuine Jones

Thirty four people have reviewed The Only Genuine Jones over the past year on the UK homepage of the book. Twenty seven of those reviews were five stars - reviews any author would be proud to receive. I'm incredibly grateful to everyone who has taken the time to review my book, especially those who don't usually review products on Amazon.

However, what most readers probably don't know is that the book has an entirely different set of reviews on the Amazon.com page. This is the page used by readers from the US and some other countries, and so far only six people have also posted reviews on the .com page. In part this is because the book only really sells in the UK, but also it's because a lot of readers don't know it exists on Amazon.com!

I am planning a promotion which requires a minimum number of .com reviews, and at the moment I don't have as many as I need, so I'm going to make a request of everyone who has written a review of my book so far:

If you'd like to help me out, please consider writing a review for the Amazon.com page in addition to the Amazon.co.uk page. If you've already written a review please just copy and paste it over. It will make a real difference!

Here is the link again: The Only Genuine Jones on Amazon.com

My first year as a published author

The Only Genuine Jones went live on the Kindle store one year ago today - at first just for a few early readers, then general availability on the 21st of October. Initial demand was high and the book quickly rose to no.1 bestseller in the Mountaineering genre, a position it has flirted with on several occasions since.

In this post I would like to summarise my first year as a published author.

The learning curve

I was prepared before I jumped into the deep end of independent publishing. I had done my research, produced a professional (and well edited) product, and got a cover designed by an artist. I had realistic expectations of what I would be able to achieve, and realistic goals.

However, I was soon to discover that the learning curve was a little steeper than I had expected! Selling and marketing a book is a full time job, one where the goalposts are moving constantly. The modern indie author must be agile and able to react instantly to changing conditions - sometimes several times a week. I have experimented with different forms of promotion, from cut price sales to radio interviews, newspaper articles to online banner ads. The social media wisdom I've learned from establishing and working for Glencoe Mountaineer has been refined and reapplied to my new craft.

I have learned an enormous amount in my first year. Possibly the most important lesson I've learned is that this is a long game in which extraordinary patience, resilience, and long-term strategies are rewarded. There are no quick fixes or short-term rewards. Success is not guaranteed and can only be the result of sustained effort over a period of years.

How has the book done?

I get asked this quite a lot, and it's a difficult question to answer! On one hand, I don't make a living from my writing, and most of the proceeds get invested back into my work. On the other hand the book has attracted surprisingly widespread critical acclaim and has sold better than I expected.

My first statement from FeedARead (the printing firm in charge of the paperback edition) came through yesterday, and after adding up all the figures I am happy confirm that the book has sold in excess of 950 copies in its first year (Kindle and paperback combined). This is obviously small fry compared to some books, but considering that the average self published Kindle title sells less than two hundred copies in its entire lifetime, I'm extremely pleased with the readership foundation I have built up.

On Amazon, the book has been reviewed 34 times, and 27 of those reviews are five stars. I have received only a single one star review to date, and to be honest I'm surprised I haven't received more than that; I've always been aware the book has the potential to polarise readers.

Looking ahead to the second year

This is only the beginning. The purpose of The Only Genuine Jones and Crowley's Rival was to test the waters, to gauge the appetite for historical mountaineering fiction. Given the enthusiastic response to my first two titles I am planning a more ambitious campaign in the years to come.

I plan to release The Atholl Expedition within the next two to three months. This book establishes a new timeframe (the late 1840s) and will be the first in a new and ambitious series of books looking at the mountaineering culture of this earlier period. Watch this space for further details!

Visiting the Grave of Owen Glynne Jones

There comes a time in the career of an author when the seemingly impenetrable veil between reality and the imaginary worlds we write about is lifted. We are touched by the very stuff of our stories. Characters who were real enough to us in our heads become suddenly tangible human beings of flesh and blood; human beings with a voice more real than any we could give them.

Such moments are incredibly profound. I am lucky enough to have experienced such a moment precisely three years ago when I visited the grave of O.G. Jones in Evolena, Switzerland.

Dent Blanche from the streets of Evolena

Followers who have read The Only Genuine Jones will be familiar with Jones, the primary hero of the book. He's a complex man who seeks progress in the world of mountaineering yet frequently sabotages his own efforts - a man who can be reckless and myopic, yet is steered by a deep-seated sense of right and wrong. My character is based strongly on the real historical figure of Owen Glynne Jones, and in 2010 I undertook an Alpine voyage to visit the area where he spent his last days.

Dent Blanche

In summer 1899 Jones climbed extensively in the quieter regions of Switzerland. True to character, he did everything at breakneck speed and hardly stopped to eat or sleep; on one occasion he was observed to come down from two days of hard climbing, tweed jacket in rags, and paused merely to gulp down a glass of beer before setting out into the mountains once again.

When he was asked why he felt the need to cram so much mountaineering into such a short space of time, his reply was, tragically, "You see, I won't be able to do this sort of thing for much longer, so I must make the best of it while I can."

Within a matter of days he was dead, killed in one of the worst mountaineering accidents of the 1890s.

Together with his friend Mr Hill and three Swiss guides, he set out to climb the Ferpècle arête of Dent Blanche, a fearsome peak between Arolla and Zermatt. Near the top of the ridge one of the guides slipped and fell to his death, dragging everybody else off as well; only Hill survived, who was fortunate in that the rope broke before it could pull him after the others. Poor Mr Hill had a devillish time getting down off the mountain and finally arrived in Zermatt after a trying ordeal to raise the alarm.

A search party scoured the glacier at the foot of the mountain for remains. Only a few sad items were found: scattered body parts, a hat, and the broken shaft of Jones' ice axe. These relics (minus the body parts) can today be seen and touched at the Zermatt Alpine museum, which I had first visited in 2007. Touching the ice axe of O.G. Jones had been a pivotal moment in my book's conception.

But in 2010 I finally gained the chance to stand at his grave, take off my hat, and gaze up into the summer heat at the summit of the mountain that had killed my main character and one of my greatest heroes.

The grave of O.G. Jones

The moment was one of profound connection with this man whose life story had inspired my entire creative input and output since 2007. Suddenly I felt I knew him a little better; I had come to the place where his friends, family and guides had assembled one chilly morning in September 1899 to pay their respects to a great man. Evolena is an isolated and quiet sort of place and the chapel where he is buried is a tiny stone building, hardly big enough for a congregation of a dozen. The village has changed little since the 19th century and to this day retains a little of the atmosphere of "der alte Alpen". There are no ski lifts here, and (unlike Zermatt!) no MacDonalds.

The Hotel Dent Blanche, where Jones frequently stayed.

I returned from my trip to the Alps that year with a profoundly different appreciation of Jones and his life and death. It had ceased to be a story of purely academic interest to me some time before, but now it was more personal; I felt far more intimately connected with his tale. In understanding his last days and death (which were, I think, exactly as he would have wished them to be) I felt able to understand his life and character better than ever before.

Every writer whose work is grounded in reality should seek out these moments of connection with their characters. Their transformative powers are remarkable, and you won't look at your work in the same way again.

You can buy my novel, The Only Genuine Jones, here for £1.99 on Kindle or £7.99 in paperback. It's inspired by the life of Jones and has gained a lot of 5* reviews!

The Only Genuine Jones wins Indie Book of the Day award

I'm very proud to announce that my first novel, The Only Genuine Jones, has won the Indie Book of the Day award for the 15th of July. The IBD award showcases indie books of quality, which is very important in today's publishing landscape as the traditional gatekeepers of quality, the big publishing houses, no longer have a monopoly on the publishing process. For readers, separating the wheat from the chaff is becoming more challenging, and that's why I'm very pleased to have won this indie award - a very worthwhile endorsement for my work.

In other news

I must apologise for neglecting my blog these past few weeks! I've been very busy working on new material for The Forbes Challenge (which I still hope to release before the end of the summer) and somehow things like blogging and book promotion have fallen down the list of priorities. Finding a balance between all the demands on an author's time (plus so-called "real life" as well!) is a challenge I have yet to master!

I'll let you into a little secret - writing isn't my only job. By day I work as a customer consultant for the Carphone Warehouse, and although I only work part time hours (which is good for my writing career), the summer season involves big (frequently moving) targets and plenty of challenges. At this time of year it can be tricky juggling both jobs at once, so I'm hoping readers can understand that I've chosen to focus on writing for the moment and haven't been blogging as much. I hope to correct this balance as soon as possible!

"The Only Genuine Jones" is 79p on Kindle for a limited time only

The Only Genuine Jones, my debut novel, is currently on a special Bank Holiday weekend promotion. The Kindle edition has been reduced to 79p until the end of Monday, after which time it will go back up to its usual list price. If you haven't yet snapped up a copy of my book then now is the time to do it!

Download your copy here (UK) or here (international readers).

Recent good news

Sales of the book have been strong over the last month and a half, and to date I have sold around six hundred copies (including paperbacks, although the exact figure will be difficult to estimate until my first sales report from the printers!) Since I have not enrolled the book in KDP Select, every one of those downloads is a paid-for sale.

I recently corresponded with bestselling writer Ian Hocking, author of Déjà Vu, Flashback, and The Amber Rooms. He had a query relating to mountaineering in the early 20th century and as a result of this correspondence he decided to buy my book. A few short days later he finished the novel and wrote this corker of a review:

It's always great to hear the views of fellow writers and this review is particularly useful because it isn't simply blanket praise; it contains useful feedback. My review stats are now looking very healthy with 18 at 5* and 5 at 4*.

Onwards and upwards!

"The Only Genuine Jones" gets an amazing review from MyOutdoors

It's a little over a month since The Only Genuine Jones was published in paperback form and the reviews are starting to trickle in. The first prominent review is from Dave Mycroft at MyOutdoors, an online news site for the world of hillwalking and mountaineering.

I sent Dave a copy of my book a couple of weeks ago and he has written a very thorough and flattering review. Read it here.

Some choice quotes:

"In setting such well known (at least in the world of mountaineering) real life figures in a fictional story the author has taken something of a gamble, particularly when combined with a re-writing of history, but the result is a book that appeals to both the mountaineering and general fiction markets in a unique way." 

"As a story The Only Genuine Jones mixes a heady combination of mystery and subterfuge in a fast moving tale that contains all the classic ingredients of revenge, murder and romance." 

"Read The Only Genuine Jones as a novel and it's a real page turner, building up a flawed but believable hero in parallel with a villain that manages to elicit feelings of sympathy at times."

LOOK OUT FOR...

TGO Magazine are printing their review of OGJ in the next issue (to be available from April the 4th, which is next Thursday). I still don't know whether they liked the book or not, but needless to say, I'm on tenterhooks ... a glowing review from TGO will work wonders towards raising my profile as a writer!

Last day of "The Only Genuine Jones" Goodreads giveaway

Just a reminder that my Goodreads giveaway, in which entrants get the chance to win a signed copy of The Only Genuine Jones, is still running--but today will be your last chance to enter! Entries close tomorrow morning, after which time a winner will be selected and the book will be posted. 280 people have currently entered.

You can enter here.

Stock update

All of my personal stock of the book has now either been sold or reserved, which means that in order to fulfil future orders for signed copies, I will have to order another batch of books. This will add approximately a week to delivery times if you're ordering copies directly from me, so please bear that in mind!

Signed copies are £7.99 plus £2 delivery for each book. You can order a signed copy by emailing me. I accept PayPal or direct bank transfer.

My first book launch (spoiler: a success!)

Well, the long anticipated date has come and gone! Yesterday I took to the stage in a room I know well, having worked there as a member of staff between 2008 and 2011. On this occasion  I was there as an author and speaker. The journey of life can be strange at times, but in many ways yesterday evening felt like a natural culmination of my time in Glencoe and was, of course, the crowning pinnacle of my writing career to date. The Only Genuine Jones has been launched as a paperback special edition and has been given quite a sendoff.

Hannah and I enjoyed a meal with our friends before setup began. I dragged the boxes of books in from reception, set up my laptop and projector, and for a few minutes I felt like a member of staff again as I helped Alan clear the tables and shift around the chairs.

People started coming in not long after 8:30. After a final shout out in the Boots Bar to round up any stragglers, I ordered a glass of water from the bar and commenced my talk.

Photo with thanks to Samantha Munro

I didn't do a headcount, but I would estimate about 50 people were present--a mixture of friends old and new, readers, fans, and walk-ins. I was a little nervous as I took to the stage, but plenty of friendly faces in the audience kept me going! Strangely I forgot to refer to my prompt cards during the talk, and basically ad-libbed it, which worked well I think although there were a couple of occasions when I forgot items I had intended to mention.

Timings worked out well; I talked for about 15-20 minutes and read for about 5 minutes. The scene I chose to read from Chapter One was also just the right length I think.

After the talk and reading, it was time for the book signing to begin!

Photo with thanks to Paul Wilkinson

Photo with thanks to Guy Daynes

I sold 32 books in all, which is fantastic. I managed to have a chat with most of the people who came to the launch although I decided against an open Q&A session in the end, mostly to avoid dragging out the talking part of the evening too much (you can only expect to keep an audience's attention for so long, after all). I had intended to give out vouchers with a code for downloading a free copy of the ebook, but forgot to give them out to some people who bought books--if you'd like one then just get in touch!

Photo with thanks to Guy Daynes

I left six books at reception in the inn for them to sell to anyone else who might want one, and apparently two of them have been snapped up already so I don't think they will last long.

Last night was an unqualified success and I'm tremendously pleased to have got the paperback edition of The Only Genuine Jones off to such a fine start. Initial sales have been very strong (when combined with pre-orders and healthy Amazon sales) and Crowley's Rival has also been doing very well over the last few days, with over 130 downloads and counting since Monday and a respectable Amazon rank of #475 (at the last check!)

Thank you to the staff at the Clachaig Inn, my friends and loyal fans, and everyone else who came and helped make the book launch such a fantastic success. Same time next year for book 2? (Hopefully!)

Pre-orders

Plenty of people unable to attend the launch have ordered signed copies, and as of tomorrow I will begin to fulfil those orders. If you have reserved a copy but not yet paid for it, the books are £7.99 plus £2 postage and I accept either PayPal or direct bank transfer; email me and we'll get it sorted out. I currently have enough stock to fulfil all existing orders although it's going to run out pretty quickly. After next week I will have to order another print run before I can accept new orders for signed copies.

Don't forget, you can also order the book from Amazon, Waterstones, or direct from the printers. Check out the book's page for the full list of ways to get hold of the book.

Farewell to the most beautiful place in the world ... until next time.

All is ready for the book launch

In four days I will be travelling up to Scotland to host my very first book launch party! The event is taking place at the Clachaig Inn, Glencoe, on Wednesday the 27th at 9pm. As you can see in the picture I have been busy doing a bit of admin for the event today: newsletter signup sheets, business cards, 'please review' flyers, and freebie vouchers.

Every attendee who buys a paperback will get a free ebook copy in the format of their choice, and to sweeten the deal yet further, my Kindle novella Crowley's Rival will be on free promotion for three days over the book launch.

10% of all profits from the night will be donated to Glencoe Mountain Rescue team.

I have been rehearsing the talk today and have timed it to around half an hour including a brief reading from the first chapter. Hopefully that will be about the right length to avoid sending everyone to sleep!

The mountain weather forecast for this week is currently spectacular, so I'm hoping there will be enormous crowds of climbers in Glencoe. If my brother's adventures over the last few days are anything to go by then we should be in for a treat.

The only remaining question marks are a) will I be left with loads of surplus, or will my stocks sell out? b) will I make it off the hill for 9pm after my day's climb? c) will people like what I have to say, or will I get booed off the stage?

We'll find out soon enough! If you're going to be at the launch I will see you there, and if not I will be writing up some coverage of the event (hopefully with photos) on this blog.

BBC Radio Scotland interview: the response

My Glencoe interview with Christopher Sleight was broadcast yesterday morning (and again today) on BBC Radio Scotland, and I'm glad to say the response has been terrific! I'm very pleased with how the piece turned out. It precisely conveys the essence of my book and why I wrote it, and I'd like to thank Chris for doing such a good job.

I have been inundated with positive comments from fans over the weekend. Here is a selection:

"Just heard your feature on BBC Radio Scotland. Wow, what a fantastic feature! VERY well produced.. superb mate! ... even the presenters were raving about it!"
"I listened to it through the website - thought it was a very interesting and well done interview. Lots of luck with the book."
"Great interview, and as a result I've just bought your book."
"Listened on iplayer a few Min's ago, excellent Alex. As has been said before, good luck with the book, I for one will be buying it."
"Just listened Alex, well done, you have come across brilliantly. Very atmospheric, love the description of your outfit for the day."
"Just listened to it Alex, it's really good! The start is a very atmospheric reading from some of the book but the whole thing is really very interesting. Well done, you come across really well!"
"What a fantastic piece! As others have said, you come across really well and your enthusiasm shines through."

And so on!

A lot of extra hits have been recorded on this blog today (mostly from the BBC page but also from the discussion thread on UKC) and The Only Genuine Jones is experiencing a mini sales spike and a jump up through the ranks, peaking at #8 in the mountaineering charts on Kindle earlier today (the first time it's been in the top ten for a few weeks).

This has been a very positive experience overall for me, and I would urge fellow indie authors to consider getting in touch with local radio stations if you think you have an interesting newsworthy angle on your book. You never know what might come of it!

The interview is available to listen online here and will be available for several days. My bit starts around 52 minutes into the episode but the rest is also very interesting.

My Glencoe interview will be broadcast tomorrow

It is my pleasure to announce that my interview with Christopher Sleight, which was recorded in late January, will be broadcast tomorrow morning on the BBC Out of Doors programme (BBC Radio Scotland). The programme will run from 6:30am with my bit starting at around 7:15. Episodes are available to stream online any time up to about a week after broadcast, so "it's too early" is no excuse!

The episode will also be broadcast on Sunday at 11:05am.

Here is the link:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01qjf2t

I will be talking a little about my new book and how it fits in with my experiments into Victorian winter climbing equipment. The interview was recorded during a 'historical re-enactment' climb in Coire nan Lochan earlier this month so there should be a few interesting bits about cutting steps, how nailed boots compare to crampons etc!

Running an ad on Goodreads: my experience

Goodreads is a social network I have been trying to get to grips with for some time. For those of you who have yet to delve into its wonders, it can be summarised as Facebook for book lovers. It has all the trappings of a social network (profiles, timelines, comments, 'likes', friends and so on) but is exclusively about books. It has a large number of members and most books available today are listed on the site, so it's a brilliant tool both for book discovery and--theoretically--book promotion.

The great thing about Goodreads is that when someone adds a book to their 'to read' shelf, or reviews it, that information is propagated to their network (potentially via Facebook and Twitter as well). This can create a viral ripple effect through which hundreds or thousands of new readers can discover a book.

I set up the Goodreads page for my novel on publication day, and on a whim decided to drop $28 on an advert to drive traffic to the page. Goodreads ads are 'pay per click', which means your funds are only used up when people actually click on the advert. The goal of this exercise was to get people to add the book to their 'to read' shelf.

My Goodreads page

Goodreads is starting to work out well for me. Eleven readers have added the book to their shelves, which is a great start, and I have received a total of eight ratings (of which five are full-blown reviews). My average score is 4.38, which is brilliant. I have seen direct evidence of at least two readers discovering and buying the book thanks to seeing it on Goodreads, which is nowhere near the level of success I am experiencing with Twitter (which has been directly responsible for well over a hundred sales to date), but it's still positive.

However (and this is a big one), my advert campaign is proving to be completely useless.

None of the people who have added my book on Goodreads have done so because of my advert. I get a daily email telling me how many people have clicked on the ad, and the figures are pretty dire.

7,608 people have viewed the advert since publication day on October the 21st. Two people have clicked on it, and neither of them have added the book.

So far, the Goodreads ad has been a complete waste of money. There are several possible reasons why this may be the case.

1. Evidence would seem to be mounting that paid adverts simply don't work for selling books. People are becoming desensitised to online adverts. That elusive 'word of mouth' virality that we all hope to achieve is still the best way of getting new readers on board.
2. The advert may simply need longer to run in order to be effective; after all, it's still relatively early days yet.
3. I may have made a mistake in targeting the book as a mountaineering novel, but then again my book fits in an awkward gap between genres. So far it has been enjoyed by loads of general readers but the trick is convincing the general reader it will be for them. Difficult to do in such a short slot!

Will I be paying for another Goodreads advert in future? I doubt it, as for an indie author with limited funds it simply is not cost effective. However, I will continue to put effort into Goodreads as I believe it's one of the best tools we have at our disposal for finding new readers.

Authors: please share your experiences with Goodreads ads! Have you used them? Did your campaign work out better than mine, and if so, do you have any tips to share?

OGJ paperback launch: T minus one month and counting

Crumbs! Time has flown past and it's now only a month until I will be standing in front of a (hopefully enormous) crowd at the Clachaig Inn talking to friends and strangers alike about my book.

Although I have been on holiday for the past week, I've been far from idle. I have ordered two batches of books: forty to be sent to the Clachaig, and twenty for my personal use. These will be divided up between copies to be given away (to friends, relatives, and potential reviewers) and a small stock of signed copies to be sold directly. I don't really know if forty will be enough for the launch but I can always supplement them with my personal stock if required.

So far, so good. What's the catch? I cannot be 100% certain the book will be available to purchase from Amazon on the 27th of February.

Although I have approved distribution through FeedARead, this process can take up to six weeks so there is a chance that it might not take effect before my launch. It isn't a disaster if this happens, but obviously I would like readers to be able to purchase the book anywhere they like at their own convenience from day one. Needless to say, I have learned from this experience, and next time I will allow at least an extra month for the entire process.

The launch itself is going to be a little uncanny. You see, I am going to be launching the book in the same building--perhaps the same room--in which the first chapter takes place. A lot of time has passed since New Year's Eve, 1896, but even though my book is fictional I will be able to sense the shades of Jones and Professor Collie leaning against the bar and watching silently (one hopes benevolently). What would they think of this unusual tale I have spun about them? I believe they would be mystified and amused; but hopefully they would not be offended, for these men are my greatest inspiration and every sentence I have written is a tribute to their heroic era.

For full details about the launch of The Only Genuine Jones in its paperback form, please click here.

BBC Out of Doors interview on location in Glencoe

Today was a great day for me. Back in November I bumped into Chris Sleight, a radio journalist with BBC Out of Doors, and he suggested that we go for a climb together so that he could record an interview for his show. The date was set and we prayed for good conditions.

The morning dawned calm, clear and cold. We decided to climb a route on Stob Coire nan Lochan, a famous Scottish mountain that features prominently in the first chapter of The Only Genuine Jones. The goal of today was simple: to climb a winter route using my Victorian period equipment, and to record the events of the day while mixing in some Q&A sessions about my book.

My trusty stepcutter

We climbed up the narrow gorge of Coire nan Lochan in similar conditions to those faced by Jones, Raeburn and Barkis in Chapter 1: deep snow! The stream pouring down from the high coire was almost totally frozen and might have made a good ice climb. That was not our objective, however, and we made decent time up to the base of the crags despite stopping on several occasions to make recordings.

Several climbing teams passed us and, as always when I'm dressed in my Victorian gear, I got a few strange looks! Most of the climbers up there today seemed to be hard men with hard climbs in mind. It was also good to bump into Jamie Bankhead who I haven't seen since I left the glen a year and a half ago.

"... finally they broke out into the upper bowl of Coire nan Lochan--a place of such silence that Jones could hear his own heart beating. The sky blushed pink in the east, over the shoulder of Gearr Aonach. Stars burned steady out of the cold depths. This felt like a primal place where humans were not welcome; it belonged to atoms and frost, the slow turn of the heavens, and the ravages of geological time."

The cliffs were painted frosted white, coated from base to summit with atmospheric  rime ice. Conditions were stunning. Despite the snowdrifts we saw the glint of old ice in the gullies, and as the rising sun glowed on the upper buttresses I reflected on how lucky I was to experience yet another perfect day in Coire nan Lochan--a place of many good memories for me.

Our chosen route was the "Wandering Wombat", a lengthy Grade II mountaineering ridge directly left of Boomerang Gully. Chris had brought a climbing rack and I took a rope, but they were not needed as the climb was technically easy. After some floundering in deep snow at the base of the route, things settled down and we romped up the iced rocks, pausing on several occasions for Chris to make some more recordings. We mostly discussed the route and how my Victorian equipment was coping with the conditions, how it compared with modern gear, and also how it all tied in with my book.

Chris climbing mixed ground on "Wandering Wombat"

As the route climbed higher conditions changed, and we came across several ice slopes that required my favourite technique: stepcutting! My waist-high ice axe came into play now, efficiently cutting steps in the compacted neve. Chris, equipped with crampons, whizzed up the slope while I took my time using the older technique.

My boot in a step cut from the ice

The summit, when we reached it, was a place of swirling winds, spindrift, and some truly stunning views. Plumes of snow were blowing off the pointed summit of Bidean nam Bian, the next mountain along, and white peaks stretched from horizon to horizon. This is what it's all about and why winter climbers put themselves through so much punishment: in the end, the reward is simply the opportunity to immerse yourself in ethereal beauty.

Bidean nam Bian, the monarch of Glencoe. Although has recently been the
scene of tragedy it is still beautiful.

We descended at a leisurely pace, crossing the coire rim and observing the hard climbers battling it out on the main cliff. We took the opportunity to descend a step of brittle water ice so that Chris could record the sounds made chopping steps in this much tougher medium.

After being dropped back off at the Clachaig Chris departed, and I tucked into a bowl of venison stew (well deserved I think!)

Today was a stunning day on the hill as well as a brilliant promotional opportunity for my writing. It's also great to get to know Chris, who has done much to further the cause of winter climbing in the UK media--quite unlike the misinformed, sensationalist reporting you usually see from the national press.

My interview should be featured on the radio next month--I'll be sure to let you all know when it airs!

The 2nd FeedARead copy is here--and a possible challenge

Now a rare beast

So this morning the second author copy of The Only Genuine Jones--which I was advised to order so that I could double check my final version--arrived from FeedARead. This means that all I have to do now before publication is one final read through (I will be getting tired of reading my own book soon!), then order a batch for launch day and approve distribution to Amazon. Fortunately I still have well over a month until my launch so it looks like the risk of a delay is starting to pass.

I'm hoping there are no further errors in the second edition, but to be honest at this stage if there are any typos left, they're staying in!

So what to do with the first copy?

My first author copy is now a very rare beast: it is the only copy in existence of the first edition. The new version can be considered a second edition even though the changes are only very minor. Print on demand doesn't work on the principle of print runs, so when I ordered my author copy last month that was literally the only copy of the book on the planet.

I was tempted to add the copy to my stash of books to give out to friends and family, but then it occurred to me: this is the very first copy, and in a small way, totally unique. I think it would be great to do something more creative with it.

A friend has suggested hiding it in a geocache somewhere in Glencoe, placing subtle clues to its location in a future novel, then offering a prize to the intrepid reader who finds it. The idea appeals to me on a number of levels although there may be even more creative things I could do with it.

Any thoughts? Authors, have you ever arranged a similar stunt for a first copy of one of your novels?

Recent stunning reviews for "The Only Genuine Jones"

I'm pleased to say that, even though The Only Genuine Jones has now been out for over two months, the excellent reviews continue to roll in! The book has now received a total of sixteen reviews on Amazon UK, of which no less than twelve are 5* (and four are 4*, leading to an average rating of 4.8). On its Goodreads page the novel has been rated eight times and gets an average of 4.38.

Needless to say, I'm extremely pleased with these results and astonished that not a single person has hated the book so far! I honestly expected it to be the sort of book that would polarise readers--some are bound to hate my approach to historical facts, after all--but I have yet to receive a single negative review.

Here are the three most recent reviews. My thanks go to all my readers who have taken the time to share their experiences of my book, either directly through email, via online review, or who have helped spread the word by prolific retweeting on Twitter. It all helps!


***** An entralling winter read, 31 Dec 2012
By M. Hogan "mikehoganbooks" (Bangkok)

I was as unaware of climbing fiction when I picked up The Only Genuine Jones as I was of Sherlock Holmes pastiches when I started to write my books. Maybe both genre descriptions beg some questions.
I read The Only Genuine Jones as a novel, and it stood up well to that classification.
We are transported to Victorian London (and Wales. the Lake District, Scotland and the Alps) by a writer who knows his period, his characters, his settings (above all) and his idiom. I learned of climbing techniques not accepted by the conservatives and used by the young Turks of the climbing establishment; I joined the protagonist, OJ Jones in inns frequented by climbing men (and women) with rows of ice axes in the lobby, roaring log fires and stories of ice faces and rock chimneys.
The writer is confident enough to describe lochs, hills, mountains and highland villages with a delicacy that made me want to up sticks, do a John Buchan and head for the Highlands.
It was all enormous fun. Add to that Aleister Crowley, the north face of the Eiger, murder and mayhem; really, what's not to love? It's a fine winter read. I cannot recommend this book enough.


***** 11 Jan 2013
By Martyn
A book about climbing and mountaineering - not for me I thought but I was wrong. This book held right the way through to the point I wanted much more as I got to the end.


***** Alex Roddie delivers a high altitude page turner., 12 Jan 2013
By MLC
This was one of the most anticipated books in mountaineering circles in recent years and it certainly does not disappoint.The author is already a highly respected mountaineer and in many ways, by releasing The Only Genuine Jones, Roddie was taking a bit of a risk with that reputation. It would have been safer to turn out a formulaic, technically accurate climbing procedural that would have satisfied the rather strange types who obsess about such things as gear placements and technical specifications. Don't be put off if you've never climbed a mountain in your life. Roddie manages to do what all good writers do, he transports the reader to another place and time. Combining genuine characters from the early days of mountaineering with a great fictional plot, Roddie delivers a well paced novel that deserves to reach a wider audience. I would urge you not to compartmentalise this book. This is not merely "mountain fiction". This is great fiction, set in the mountains. It matters not that you've never climbed the north face of the Eiger. Roddie's climbing scenes are so engrossing that by the end of the novel you will feel that you have shared something of the cold deprivation on those icy mountain ridges. The author's love of the mountains is evident throughout this book and his evocative descriptions of the mountain settings perfectly captures both the beauty and the often brutal and unforgiving harshness of these high places. The Only Genuine Jones: Not just for climbers and mountaineers.