Official A Kill in the Morning Thread

[Shimbo]

First 'A Kill in the Morning' Review is positive

Here's the very first review of A Kill in the Morning, by Matt Mitrovich on Alternate History Weekly Update.

Matt starts his review by name-checking ah.com and highlighting the way AKITM gestated here, before moving on to discuss the spy-thriller element of the story:

I enjoyed the constant dangers the main characters were in and the secret war fought between the intelligence agencies of the rival blocs.

He also found the timeline plausible:

Shimmin's timeline is unique that it has a victorious Nazi Germany without turning it into a wank, and having the British Empire be the leader of the free world instead of the Americans was a good change of pace. I always liked the multi-polar Cold War after World War II, a scenario I would to love see more of, and Shimmin did a great jog giving detailed descriptions of the weapons and vehicles that came out of this alternate timeline.

I was also flattered that he compares AKITM to Bring the Jubilee!

The story was reminiscent of Moore's Bring the Jubilee which was one of the first classics of the genre that I read and I can see how it inspired A Kill in the Morning. I also enjoyed the supplements that came with the story including a glossary of terms from Shimmin's alternate timeline, a timeline and a list of all the historical persons who had cameos in the story. Many were obscure and I was surprised to discover that many characters who I assumed were fictional were actually real people.

Matt had some reservations regarding the plot twist, which I won't post as it necessarily involves spoilers. However, he sums up the novel as:

...an engrossing tale of espionage against a truly evil enemy. It was a unique twist on the Nazis win World War II scenario and notwithstanding some quibbles I had with the plot, I still think you will find it an entertaining read written by a true fan of alternate history.

Thanks to Matt for his fair-minded review. It's always a bit nerve-wracking reading reviews of your work, so I'm glad that he felt he could recommend the story.

I'll be posting more reviews soon I suspect, as some newspapers and magazines are reading AKITM at the moment, but this was an important one, as Matt, like the rest of us on ah.com, is a proper alternate history enthusiast.

See the full review at: Review of A Kill in the Morning

 

[Shimbo]

An interview with me, talking about A Kill in the Morning, my love of classic spy fiction and alternate history in general.

A couple of the questions:

How were you introduced to reading and genre fiction?

I was brought up reading classic spy thrillers like From Russia With Love, Ice Station Zebra, and The Ipcress File: fast-paced, action-packed and fun. My mum used to take me to the library every Thursday and I worked my way through practically every thriller and sci-fi novel they had, reading two or three a week.

What’s your opinion of the genre today, and where do you see your work fitting into it?

I’m aware that “Nazi victory” had been used as a setting for several novels, notably Fatherland and that some people feel it “has been done before”, but I think there’s plenty of room for more stories in what is becoming a sub-genre. After all, every story has been done before, and no one criticises a new crime novel because it’s not the first story with a detective in it!

In A Kill in the Morning, the Nazis haven’t achieved “victory”, anyway. Britain and the Soviet Union are still opposing them, but not in open warfare – instead there’s a three-way Cold War. That gave me a lot of scope to write the kind of classic spy story that was written during the Cold War, but with the Nazis as antagonists, and after all the Nazis are the ultimate bad guys!

The rest of the interview is here: Interview with Graeme Shimmin

 

[stirlingdraka]

Well done Shimbo. Great interview.

 

[trekchu]

Not to sound needy (though I really want to read that book) but when and where should I send my address?

 

[Shimbo]

Not to sound needy (though I really want to read that book) but when and where should I send my address?

Just PM me, dude. I can't send it till the 19th though, since it's not out till then!

 

[fortyseven]

Nice interview.

 

[Shimbo]

An now especially for trekchu, who can hardly contain his excitement:

Here's the first fifty pages of A Kill in the Morning in Random House's online reader thingy. That's the whole of the first three chapters where we see the hero and one of the heroines, Kitty, in action, and then they collide with each other - setting up the story.

If you read the first draft, you'll be able to see just how much AKITM has improved. The second chapter is completely new and the first and third chapters are about 50% new.

Oh, and there's a map!

 

[Japhy]

Will the book be available in the United States initially? Or will it be better for me to use my book imports guy?

 

[Shimbo]

Will the book be available in the United States initially? Or will it be better for me to use my book imports guy?

Actually, you're also on my 'thank you' list, so PM me your address and I'll post you your copy.

But no, it's not going to be in US shops on the 19th. The best option for getting an early copy in the US is an Amazon subsidiary called Book Depository, as they ship worldwide for free. Link below:

http://www.bookdepository.com/Kill-Morning-Graeme-Shimmin/9780593073537

 

[stirlingdraka]

That`s great Shimbo..

 

[trekchu]

An now especially for trekchu, who can hardly contain his excitement:

Here's the first fifty pages of A Kill in the Morning in Random House's online reader thingy. That's the whole of the first three chapters where we see the hero and one of the heroines, Kitty, in action, and then they collide with each other - setting up the story.

If you read the first draft, you'll be able to see just how much AKITM has improved. The second chapter is completely new and the first and third chapters are about 50% new.

Oh, and there's a map!

I'm really, really torn. On one hand, I want to read it as I love me a good spy story, but on the other I want to wait for the book as an exercise of self-discipline and a Birthday present to myself (it being on the 20th)....

 

[Shimbo]

I'm really, really torn. On one hand, I want to read it as I love me a good spy story, but on the other I want to wait for the book as an exercise of self-discipline and a Birthday present to myself (it being on the 20th)....

My advice about the preview, for what it's worth, is: if you've already pre-ordered AKITM (or are planning on buying it once it's out properly) then you'd be better not reading the preview, to avoid spoilers.

If you're unsure whether you'll like it or not, then you should read the first chapter, which is basically the Bond-style pre-titles sequence. If you like that you'll like the whole thing.

 

[trekchu]

My advice about the preview, for what it's worth, is: if you've already pre-ordered AKITM (or are planning on buying it once it's out properly) then you'd be better not reading the preview, to avoid spoilers.

If you're unsure whether you'll like it or not, then you should read the first chapter, which is basically the Bond-style pre-titles sequence. If you like that you'll like the whole thing.

It's a spoilers thing.

 

[LeX]

Liked the preview. I'll probably buy the book.

 

[Geordie]

Is it a full UK release on the 19th, or is it likely to be in some shops before others?

I can only imagine how excited you're feeling, Shimbo, I'm excited about seeing it on the shelves. Crazy seeing as I only read the first couple of chapters before having some time off the site when I was ill, but I really am rather excited.

Are you going to be wandering the local bookshops, seeing who's stocking you when release day rolls around?

 

[Shimbo]

That`s great Shimbo..

Thanks

Liked the preview. I'll probably buy the book.

Awesome

Is it a full UK release on the 19th, or is it likely to be in some shops before others?

I can only imagine how excited you're feeling, Shimbo, I'm excited about seeing it on the shelves. Crazy seeing as I only read the first couple of chapters before having some time off the site when I was ill, but I really am rather excited.

Are you going to be wandering the local bookshops, seeing who's stocking you when release day rolls around?

I know it's supposed to be in Waterstones, W.H. Smiths and Blackwells on the 19th, and live on Amazon, iTunes etc.

I'm kind of oscillating between excited, terrified and fatalistic at the moment. Getting supportive messages like this is good though.

It has taken five years for me to go from my first vague ideas to the book being in the shops. Whether it's now properly successful or just does OK is basically out of my hands now - it's down to whether readers like it enough to tell their friends, as 'word of mouth' is the only thing that really sells a book.

But whatever happens, just getting it out there is an achievement. I'll definitely be walking round the shops looking for it, and if you see it please post pics!

 

[Geordie]

I know it's supposed to be in Waterstones, W.H. Smiths and Blackwells on the 19th, and live on Amazon, iTunes etc.

I shall keep my eyes on the shelves. Smiths in Farnborough is a bit small, but if it ain't there it should be multiple places in Winchester and Amazingstoke.

I'm kind of oscillating between excited, terrified and fatalistic at the moment. Getting supportive messages like this is good though.

Try and enjoy the moment. Especially seeing your name, your book, on the shelves. That's a real achievement to savour.

But whatever happens, just getting it out there is an achievement. I'll definitely be walking round the shops looking for it, and if you see it please post pics!

I shall do more than post pics, I shall buy one, my good man! Actually, I might buy two. I've got a mate who's a fan of similar with a birthday in early July...

 

[trekchu]

Mind you, I can hardly wait to read it. If it's anything like the original, it has all the things I like.

 

[Shimbo]

Interviews

So, I've been doing a few interviews.

There's always a few things that come up in an interview: "What's your book about?" "Who are your influences", "Can I borrow some money?" that stuff.

But there's more interesting questions sometimes. And here's a couple of them:

My interview with Matt Mitrovich of Alternate History Weekly Update was good, first because Matt asked me about alternatehistory.com

Did you post the original version of the story on AlternateHistory.com?

Yes, AlternateHistory.com was incredibly useful to me. One of the hardest things when you're writing a first draft is the feeling that "it'll never be finished, it's crap, and no one cares anyway". So having ‘fans’ clamouring for the next episode helped to keep me writing. A Kill in the Morning was a big hit on AlternateHistory.com, and winning the Superlative Turtledove award was a huge confidence boost.

Posting every few days did have some disadvantages, for example, I couldn't go back to change things that weren't quite working or introduce things I'd need later and just had to plow on. But actually, for a first draft, 'plowing on' is probably for the best.

The commercially published version is hugely improved from that initial AlternateHistory.com draft of course. It’s 30% longer for one thing, but at the same time I've trimmed out all those bits that didn't work.

and second because he asked me for some free advice:

Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

First and most important: don’t give up the day job!

It took me ten years to get published, and that’s not unusual. Even most commercially published writers have to teach writing to make ends meet.

Second, you have to realise the first draft isn’t the end.

You need to write at least three drafts before you even attempt to find an agent or publisher. There will be at least three more drafts if they buy your book. Related to that: learn the rules of editing - you’re wasting every one’s time, including your own, if you send out work that has basic errors in it.

Third, keep learning and improving.

Read all the classic examples of the kind of novel you want to write, buy books about writing techniques, do creative writing courses, join critique groups, online and in real life, and really listen to your feedback. Learning is the key difference between eventual success and ongoing failure in my opinion. Everyone always says not to give up, and it’s true that you shouldn't, but you have to get better too.

Fourth, Network.

Commercial publishing is a relationship business. You either have to know people or be extremely lucky if you want to get commercially published. How do you network though? Start with other authors. Support each other. Help each other. They move in the circles you need to get into.

Finally don’t give up.

If you keep writing, keep learning and improving and keep networking, you’ll get published eventually.

The full interview is at http://alternatehistoryweeklyupdate.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/interview-graeme-shimmin.html

My interview with Book Plank was pretty standard except they asked me what my top 5 books were:

BP: If you would have to give your top 5 favourite books, which would they be?
GS:

1. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John Le Carre,
2. Fatherland by Robert Harris,
3. Pattern Recognition by William Gibson,
4. Game Set and Match by Len Deighton.
5. The Eagle Has Landed by Jack Higgins

The rest of the interview is at http://thebookplank.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/author-interview-with-graeme-shimmin.html

 

[Shimbo]

Today is the day A Kill in the Morning is published.

First thing this morning, I popped in to my local book shop and found this on the shelves:

I've been writing seriously for ten years and posted the first chapter of the first draft of A Kill in the morning here five years ago.

This is the end of a long, long journey for me, one that at times I thought I'd never complete. There have been times when I've considered giving up. There have been times I've been advised to give up.

But I didn't. I am stubborn like that.

And in the end persistence paid off for me when I was shortlisted for Terry Pratchett Prize 2013 and that lead to Transworld agreeing to publish my novel. And now that's lead to today and commercial publication.

I've had some almost unbelievable reviews too, the best being Stephen Baxter, author of multiple bestsellers and winner of many literary awards including the Philip K Dick Award, and the John W Campbell Memorial Award, who sent me this endorsement of A Kill in the Morning:

Here's the whole of a short review from a British magazine:

You can read all the reviews so far at A Kill in the Morning Reviews They are overwhelmingly positive and very gratifying.

So, it's a proud day for me. One of the proudest.

Now it's up to you whether it'll be a success or not!