ROBERT DAVIDSON

Of my many regrets, one is that I have not been consistent with the upkeep of this blog and posts to it. My most recent one was a couple of months ago but prior to that I had done nothing. The publication of my second novel prompted me to make another attempt at keeping the blog extant.

The manager at the Staffordshire Golf Club, that’s the bar and restaurant, as opposed to the administration of the golf side of things, unintentionally acted as an excellent PR representative on behalf of The Tuzla Run some time ago, by telling a number of the members that I had written a book. This was obviously a surprise to many of them; some didn’t, couldn’t, wouldn’t believe it, others thought it a poor joke in even worst taste and doubted that I knew someone who could read much less write. Some, however, thankfully (that’s my feeling, not theirs) did buy the book. So, when The Yukon Illusion became available and there was little movement I said jokingly to Ken, the manager,
“You haven’t read my second book yet!” he replied, “Your second book? I haven’t even read the first!”

A friend of mine, who was the first to buy The Tuzla Run, was delighted to tell me that he was responsible for two of the local libraries putting it on their shelves. I was over the moon too, until I discovered that Amazon does not have any arrangement with UK libraries for royalties, unlike libraries in the States. Still, I’m proud that my book is there with other recognized authors’ work although I have a nagging suspicion that the widespread closure of public libraries in the UK might somehow be linked.

Yet another close friend supportively bought a copy of The Yukon Illusion and told me that she would read it as soon as she had completed ME BEFORE YOU by Jojo Moyes. Later, she punched another hole in my balloon by telling me that I have been relegated yet again due to the publication of Jojo’s subsequent novel. Still, I justify this by convincing myself that my friend is into delayed gratification — big time.

The last straw was from someone i have known since we were fifteen years old and served in the Army together who promised to read it while he was on a month’s holiday. On his return I couldn’t resist asking if he had read the book. His reply, “Nah, sorry mate, it didn’t rain once.” was not the uplifting response I had expected.

I have returned to a half finished project which was a sequel to The Tuzla Run, foreseeably with some of the same characters. I am enjoying the work and look forward to being one of the first, if not the first, to read the completed book.