Launching Mortlock

by Caroline Smailes on March 31, 2010

Jon Mayhew is a top bloke. He’s a bit like a Chuckle Brother, but better. He’s my friend in real life, but that’s almost irrelevant as he’s also a ridiculously fabulous creator of worlds.

I’ll be posting about his debut ‘Mortlock’ soon, but yesterday I travelled down to London with G and with Eldest for Jon’s launch at The Waterpoet on Folgate Street.

Jons’ publisher (Bloomsbury) had created an evening of Victorian theatre, all set to tell the audience about the dark world of ‘Mortlock’. It was amazing. The eerie downstairs room was a perfect launch pad for ‘Mortlock’ and the two specially written acts were performed in a scary way. Then Jon talked about his inspiration and his own personal loss (and made me cry, so that I had mascara down my cheek for the rest of the evening). The room was brimming with support and warmth.

Jon’s launch had such integrity. I loved that it was about ‘Mortlock’ and not about pushing book sales and I love that I left feeling that I’d been part of a celebration (and with a fancy bookmark) (and with our 4th copy of ‘Mortlock’) (and slightly wine filled).

‘Mortlock’ is going to be HUGE. You really should buy a first edition, while you still can. There is rumour that Jon Mayhew IS the next J.K. Rowling, but more on that in another blog post…

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The Giving of Gifts. « V. Kathryn Evans
April 1, 2010 at 7:27 pm

{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Rachel Green March 31, 2010 at 10:29 pm

Okay… I’ve ordered it.

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2 JJ Beattie April 1, 2010 at 12:09 am

I met Jon at your In Search of Adam launch and he is lovely. And when he is famous, I’m going to dine out on the story that he owes me a coke!

It really couldn’t happen to a nicer bloke and I cannot wait to read Mortlock.

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3 Nik Perring April 1, 2010 at 12:52 am

Reading this made me very, very happy.

And, Jon, if you’re reading: HURRAH and HOORAY!

Nik

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4 DJ Kirkby April 1, 2010 at 8:31 am

Is it for adults then? I thought it was kids only :) Whichever… I think I’ll buy a copy, read it and then give it to N3S when he’s old enough.

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5 megan April 1, 2010 at 9:22 am

Sounds like an incredible evening (Victorian theatre - wondrous!!) and a brilliant book, which of course I’m looking forward to reading very much.

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6 Sue Guiney April 1, 2010 at 10:24 am

How exciting! And I’m so happy Bloomsbury is really putting their back into this. Jon’s great guy and so deserves his success. I’ve already got my copy. It’s next in the tbr pile.

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7 Carol April 1, 2010 at 11:50 am

Ooohh, that sounds fabulous!! I must get myself a copy!

C x

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8 Kathryn Evans April 1, 2010 at 2:31 pm

Was lovely to meet you Caroline and yes, everyone: kids , adults- buy Mortlock - it is a fantastic read and I’m not even on commission……

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9 Sue Eves April 1, 2010 at 2:39 pm

Or you could buy 2 - I knew I had to read it and someone else will want to.
Glad we met on this Mortlock occasion. I’m not talking for a while now - I have to get back to the book!

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10 Caroline Smailes April 1, 2010 at 7:14 pm

Rachel Green - hooray!

JJ Beattie - and I am going to make stuff up about him… in fact we should perhaps start a rumour now… Jon was so poor that he couldn’t even afford a glass of coke and had to write Mortlock on a carrier bag… :)

Nik Perring - and me too :)

DJ Kirkby - adults will LOVE it!

megan - a truly amazing night :)

Sue Guiney - enjoy!

Carol - yay! :)

Kathryn Evans - lovely to meet you too! We should be on commission, don’t you think? :)

Sue Eves - we have 4 copies so far and will be buying another at the Chester signing. We are a house of Mortlock fans!

xxx

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11 Jon M April 1, 2010 at 7:37 pm

It was so great to see you and G and Eldest there! A special kind of symmetry! :o )

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12 Caroline Smailes April 7, 2010 at 8:40 pm

You’re a star x

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