Better get to that book-buying. Voucher code at the end of thread.
Simon Edge (who I mentioned before) tweeted yesterday
Twitter Thread (edited in places for readability because new MN gets upset about twitter handles now)
Simon Edge on Twitter: The publishing industry has been vicious to authors who challenge gender ideology. The people who destroyed the careers of Rachel Rooney and Gillian Philip and tried to do the same for JK Rowling are now gunning for Onjali Rauf. I've mostly avoided it with The End of the World is Flat, partly because the Right Side of History brigade much prefer persecuting women ti men, but also because I'm published by a very small publisher not afraid to take risks.
However Eye and Lightning – which has published all five of my novels, and where I'm also on the editorial team – hasn't gone completely untargeted. There are a few tales I may never be able to tell, but I can relate one, about our shortlisting at the British Book Awards last week.
Eye Books was established 25 years ago in Shropshire, mainly publishing travel books and stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary things. In its earliest days it worked out of a mobile home on a caravan site. In its 25-year history, Eye Books never entered the British Book Awards or 'Nibbies', the Oscars of the book trade, because they tend to reward big publishers dealing in much greater bulk than us. But this year they unveiled a new category, Small Press of the Year.
That really had our name on it because, if nothing else, Eye and Lightning is small. A staff of six, none full time. No office premises. Flying by the seat of our pants a lot of the time. But always aiming high. So we thought we'd finally give it a shot and we put in an entry. We were chuffed to get longlisted (even if we suspected it's the kind of award where every entrant gets put on the longlist). Then we were OVERJOYED to win our Midlands regional heat. That meant we were on the national shortlist. Like, wow.
For me it was especially nice. When the shortlist was announced in the Bookseller, the long-established trade mag that runs the Nibbies, they cited my own novel The End of the World is Flat as one of the reasons we stood out. I tweeted about that, perhaps rashly – because shortly afterwards we were tipped off that an 'activist' had written to all the Small Press of the Year judges warning them not to give the award to Eye Books, which they should consider beyond the pale for daring to publish my novel.
There's obviously an irony here: my novel is a satire on the climate of censorship and fear created by a bunch of loons in thrall to a deranged ideology. So what do its critics (who I assume haven't even read it) want? More censorship! But of course they don't do irony...
Anyway, we went to the Nibbies last week, we had a great time and we didn't win. Let me stress: I don't think the campaign to lobby the judges played a part. they chose a very deserving winner, plus a deserving runner-up. We didn't expect to win and are happy with how far we got.
The point is, someone tried to sabotage the most joyous event in this tiny company's 25-year history. I don't know who it was. I can guess, although I may be wrong. And I'm reasonably sure it was someone punching down. Let's face it, it would be hard to punch up at Eye Books.
'm telling you all this now because Eye and Lightning is having a flash sale this weekend. 30% off all our titles (with free UK postage for orders over £15) if you use the discount code PLATINUM. That obviously includes all five of my novels. I may have mentioned them once or twice 😉 You can find them here: eye-books.com/shop
There's also a massive range of other titles and I'd just like to flag up three that may be of particular interest:
First off there's An Isolated Incident by the Aussie author Emily Maguire. It's the story of a violent crime, but it's not a whodunnit – it's about the impact on women. It was shortlisted for Australia's main literary, women's and crime prizes.
www.eye-books.com/books/an-isolated-incident
I also recommend The Beat of the Pendulum by Catherine Chidgey
. She's a literary star: her latest novel was longlisted for the Women's Prize & shortlisted for the Dublin Literary Award. This earlier one is experimental but hugely engaging once you get into it www.eye-books.com/books/the-beat-of-the-pendulum
Finally, you may like The Enemy Within by Adam Macqueen
. It's a thriller with an ex-rent boy hero set against the backdrop of the Brighton bomb. If you want to know what the 80s were REALLY like for gay men, read it. It's also a cracking page-turner. www.eye-books.com/books/the-enemy-within
There are tons of other great books. Browse away. If you make a purchase, you'll be helping Eye And Lightning stand up to the anonymous bully who tried to scupper our big night. Don't forget, use discount code PLATINUM. Sale ends midnight Tuesday 🙏
eye-books.com/shop
Simon's original twitter thread