In 2016, I will ROCK YOUR WORLD. Apparently.

So says io9, in this rather wonderful article outlining the 40 Fantasy and Sci-Fi books they’re most excited for in 2016. And Dark Run is on that list. You know, alongside authors like China Miéville, Ken Liu, Liu Cixin, Joe Hill and Kameron Hurley (and a whole host of others, too).

I am well and truly chuffed at my inclusion (and yes, I know it’s been out for seven months. It’s an American website and Dark Run isn’t out over there yet).

Having two novels come out last year was an amazing thing. It’s something that many people will never achieve (unfortunately), and it’s been fantastic to walk into bookshops and see something that I’ve created there on the shelves. I’ve had people message me from out of the blue, people I don’t know or barely know, telling me how much they enjoyed reading my novel. That means a lot, it really does.

However, this is something a little different. This is an independently-compiled list from a pretty well-regarded website when it comes to things fantasy, sci-fi, sci-fact and actually just most things a bit geeky. There was another list out a few days ago, where editors listed the books they were excited for this year. Joe, my US editor, was kind enough to mention me, but you expect that, don’t you? You expect a publishing house to try to push their authors’ books, it’s essentially what they’re there for. That said, Joe could only pick five and he included Dark Run, for which I’m very grateful. The io9 list is, so far as I’m aware, uninfluenced by editors and publishing houses and is simply based on their opinions. I am so, so happy that they are looking forward to reading my novel.

It was easy to think, at the end of 2015 with both my contracted novels published and no certainty that any more would be commissioned, that it could all have been a flash in the pan. A wonderful flash, as it were, but possibly a brief interlude into authorship with no opportunity to continue it (the final decision has yet to be made on that with regards to Del Rey UK). It was easy to think that my novel would get lost in the shuffle over in the huge US market in 2016. However, Saga seem to be pushing it hard, they’re releasing it in hardcover, and people seem to be taking notice. At the moment, my book isn’t getting lost. At the moment, it’s standing out.

I’m starting to get the feeling that 2016 could be very interesting indeed.

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