Dorian Gray, a well known author of gay detective novels, has given my novel Unrequited its very first blurb:

Mr. Bennett's first novel is at first glance a surprisingly thickly-layered canvas. Yet a closer look reveals finely-etched detail which illuminates the work and will leave the reader eagerly looking forward to his next book. An auspicious start to a promising writing career.


Not bad, hey? It's going on the back cover apparently.

JB

Fantastic! What a great puff to have on the cover. Congratulations!

(Talking of which - why are blurbs over there puffs here, and what does the US call what we call a blurb?)

Emma

Thanks Emma. The 'thickly layered' part is what I struggled with most in the endless edits. I guess Unrequited has a complex plot, designed like an onion...hopefully one that might make the occasional reader shed a tear as its skins are peeled off?

Anyway, nice to have a nod of approval from Dorian. I think it's hilarious (and ironic) that the blurbs over here are called 'puffs'. I didn't know that, so thanks for the extra grin!

JB

Excellent news, JB - well done!!!

)

A
xxx

Good luck JB, that's a good recommendation from Mr Gray. I think 'puff' goes back to (at least) 18th Century drama - Sheridan wrote Mr Puff into The Critic.

Jim

That's fab JB. Well done you- if I wasn't already chomping at the bit to get a hold of my copy, it has certainly got my attention.

Well done JB, that's great!

Is that his real name btw?

Mr. Bennett's first novel

Sounds good, doesn't it?

Also 'auspicious start' and 'promising career'.

Well done you!

Sarah

Nice one, JB. How cool to get a blurb, or a puff or a whatchamacallit. Especially from someone called Dorian Gray.

Thanks all.

Dorian Gray isn't his real name I don't think. He writes the Dick Hardesty novels (don't laugh), and has won a couple of awards. To be fair, I don't think his stories and mine bear much in common, but I suppose a puff is better than no puff at all?

JB

<Added>

The Mr.Bennett thing made me feel a bit strange actually. Far too formal for a chap like me, but there you go. ;)

Excellent news JB!

Nik.

Thank you Mr. Perring

JB

Talking of blurbs, a writer called David Liss 'publicly apologised' (his words) on a forum in myspace for not blurbing my book. He said that he had wanted to read it, but had a deadline that prevented him. It was very nice of him to step forward like this, and totally unnecessary, as I had no idea he had been sent the book. It just goes to show, when you don't hear from any 'blurbers' it's not necessarily because they hated your book.

That's very decent of him. Must have been nice to read that, Roger.

Nik.

Nice one Roger.

I must say I like the trailers on your My Space page. It got me thinking of maybe doing a slide show or something for Unrequited.

By the way, you'll be pleased to know that I finally got my copy of Taking Comfort today. Bit belated, so sorry. I'm looking forward to tucking into it over the weekend.

JB