Duncan's newborn
The moments when I held my newborn children for the first time are fixed forever in my memory. And now the memory of when I held my first book for the first time is stored with them.
The feeling was surprisingly similar – although obviously the book did not vomit, scream or need its nappy changed.
But, come to think of it, it has woken me at 3am quite a few times, as an idea leaps into my mind!
It’s been basically five years to turn an idea into The Wounded Guardian (although that wasn’t its original name), the first book of The Dragon Sword Histories. It has been about 30 years since I first tried to write a book: The Adventures Of Gary Skywalker (Gary was my best mate at Skinner Street Infants’ School and I’d just been to see Star Wars, the first movie I’d ever watched).
It has been hard work – and sometimes heartache – but it has been an incredible journey.
Sometimes I have to pinch myself to make sure this is real. Sometimes I feel I need more concrete proof that I’m not about to wake up and discover it is all a dream! I confess I went onto the HarperCollins website and typed in my name to see my book come up … likewise I searched for myself at my local Borders bookstore and the feeling to see my book come up was unbelievable. Talk about a guilty pleasure!
But real it is and, from July 1, everyone will have the chance to see it.
And here the analogy about a child gets awfully close to the bone.
I’ve done all I can – now it is time for The Wounded Guardian to greet the world (well, Australia at least) and stand on its own two feet. Naturally I’d like to see it run – but I’d settle for it not falling flat on its face!
Duncan Lay is a layout designer and headline writer at the Sunday Telegraph. He lives on the Central Coast of NSW.The Wounded Guardian is his first book and is now available throughout Australia. Visit Duncan’s blog to find out more about him and his writing.
