Joshua Raven’s 5fingers Blog

2008

Tuesday 24th June 2008

Come along to Kemp Town in Brighton this Saturday night if you’re free – I’m doing a dramatic reading of the first few chapters of 5fingers at a poetry and performance night (www.myspace.com/heaveninunderground) – organised by the amazing Ash and Hattie. Should be great fun – there’s also a great band and a poet or two! Kicks off at 8pm.

Friday 20th June 2008

The 5fingers wagon rolls on, and I am currently arranging a series of book readings and talks about the novel and my career as a journalist. If you would like me to speak to a group, or know someone who might, please email joshua@5fingers.co.uk

Thursday 12th June 2008

As well as doing the day job of feature and news writing, I am working on a book tour – talking to schools, colleges and church groups about the novel and doing book readings. On the list so far are Ardingly College (www.ardingly.com) and Oakmeeds College (www.oakmeeds.w-sussex.sch.uk), with a Borders and a library in Brighton showing interest. Promoting the book requires stamina, and patience but I’m enjoying the challenge!

Sunday 1st June 2008

Back from a great family holiday – the five of us spent a week in Cornwall, and ate lots of ice cream. Feel refreshed and got to do some great research for the next book – 5fingers: vortex - which I am planning to attack with gusto very soon!

Saturday 17th May 2008

I went to a fantastic poetry workshop with Peter Nevland from Spoken Groove (www.spokengroove.com) – an amazing dramatic poetry performer – and met some great guys from Brighton, Ash and Hattie, who have a poetry and performance night in Brighton. As a result, I’ll be doing a dramatic book reading performance in Brighton (www.myspace.com/heaveninunderground) on June 28th – please come down if you’re free.

Friday 7th April 2008

Buy 5fingers for £4.99! This promotional offer runs until the end of April and is available exclusively from this web site, so grab yourself a “5finger discount” and visit the buy section of the site!

Friday 7th March 2008

Besides novel writing, the day job rumbles on apace! This week, I find myself writing for various publications about Pakistan, tips for night driving, and law firms in Guildford. Lake Emerson’s got his work cut out as reporter on the Griffton News.. I also had the book mentioned in the news section of The Business Magazine (www.businessmag.co.uk) which is out and online next week! (Page 4, Surrey and Sussex edition)

Wednesday 5th March 2008

If you’re a Facebooker, why not join the 5fingers group / Just do a search for 5fingers or click here (http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=8781954163) and you should find it! See you there!

Friday 22nd February 2008

The local Waterstones in Haywards Heath has decided to recommend 5fingers: initiation and display it on a special New Authors day they have – please go and buy it from there if you haven’t already got it! It’s also in the local library now, and please also request it at your library - you will help us a lot to get the word out! Thanks! Joshua.

Friday 18th February 2008

5fingers: initiation will be on display in the New Titles Showcase at the London Book Fair at Earl’s Court this April - in the entrance as visitors walk in, and also be in the online and physical brochure! This is one happy Raven.

Tuesday 12th February 2008

Read about Joshua Raven in the newspaper here. Hopefully there’s plenty more coverage to come!

Wednesday 6th February 2008

The web site is now fully operational and you can buy your copy of 5fingers: initiation directly from us. Please make your way to the ‘Buy 5fingers’ section and form an orderly queue! Seriously, I’d love you to buy a copy – and if you’ve already got one, why not buy it for a friend? !

Thursday 17th January 2008

Blue Fish Publishing tell me the book is now available to order from Waterstones, WH Smith, Blackwells, Borders, Amazon and a bunch of other high street and independent retailers, and even your public library! I am ecstatic and am looking forward to the book raising its profile. If anything, people should get to enjoy Louis’ excellent cover! BUT, we are also keen for people to buy through our secure e-commerce site, and have your copy waiting for you!

Friday 4th January 2008

Exciting news! My publisher, Blue Fish Publishing, is gearing up for the official Feb 1st launch of the book, and pre-launch sales are going well! This web site will accept your credit and debit card purchases from mid-January, which is awesome, and the publishers tell me that the book is heading for the high street this spring.

It’s going to be a great year. Happy New Year to you all!

2007

Monday 31st December 2007

I welcome your feedback on the novel, those of you who have read it! If you haven’t bought it yet, you’re missing out! My email is joshua@5fingers.co.uk so drop me a mail!

Friday 21st December 2007

I’m about to take a break for Christmas. It has been a fantastic year – but busy! As a debut novelist, I have had my first book completed and published. As a freelance journalist, I have found myself writing about radio stations in Malawi, the 2010 Ryder Cup and 2008 Wales Open, debt advice, entrepreneurs in Sussex and Surrey, and future technology. What a laugh!

Friday 30th November

5fingers: initiation is hot off the press, and ready to go! The cover looks awesome and the pages are crisp and white. We now have a very large quantity of books ready to send out across the world, and I am looking forward to seeing the pile shrink, so we can order the second print run! Miss Rachel Race, your public awaits you.

Monday 8th October

I love Mondays! This morning I took a couple of hours out to sit in a café and dream up the storylines and plot for book two - which currently goes by the name of 5fingers :vortex.

It has loads of surprises and my hallmark cliff hanger at the end of each chapter. You're going to love it.

Unfortunately I had a cliff hanger of my own this morning. I managed to lock myself out of the house, so took a walk through the fields near the house to kill time!

Friday 5th October

We had an exciting meeting with our designer Louis to see his designs for the 5fingers logo and 5fingers: initiation cover.

He had created three awesome designs, each different, and each brilliant in its own way. Louis is incredibly creative, and did especially well on little information from us!
Although we chose one logo and cover idea, he advised us to live with them all for the weekend. So we put them on window sill in a prominent place.

How right he was. We ended up changing our choice totally and are glad we did. Three friends who dropped round at the weekend got to have their say, and they all pretty much confirmed our choice.

What a blast! We hope you like the cover we went for and agree that the cover is supercool!

Friday 28th September 2007

I walked out in the light rain this afternoon to post the manuscript to JAC Design, the printers. It will arrive on Monday by registered post, to accompany the electronic version I sent yesterday.

What a momentous day, and what understated weather! For me, it marks an exciting event, but for everyone else I saw in the high street, it was just another rainy Friday...

Friday 31st August 2007

This is the day I finished the final major edit of 5fingers: initiation. It was a mind bending week of reading the book closely and carefully, and making sure everything added up.

Friday 10th August 2007

I finished writing 5fingers: initiation, and I have to admit, I was bowled over by the experience. Although this is my fourth novel, finishing this one was very emotional.

I decided to celebrate by buying the kids comic books and biscuits; and got myself a chocolate milk and a pack of chocolate chip cookies. It all cost £5.15. I sat and munched the biscuits and drank the chocolate milk alone on the bench overlooking the south downs, and for me, it was a suitable celebration.

I think I overdid it on the chocolate though.