A J Linney

 Launch Day: 24th August 2024

With the venue booked, posters out, the fizz and nibbles purchased, and my family en route from Worcester, things were running to plan. It was time to celebrate my years of hard work and present my debut novel, Bitter Pill, to my local community in Cornwall.

But then the seeds of doubt invaded my brain.

What if no one turns up, and it’s a flop? Or, if people do attend, what if they ask too many questions? What excerpt can I read out to deliver intrigue, or what if I freeze instead? What response will I get? Will anyone purchase my book? If they do, will they like it?

And on and on, the doubting questions continued, until …

It was time to reframe my thought process and tame my negative self-evaluation. So, I gave myself a firm talking to. I told myself ...

You have produced something special, something you are extremely proud of, something to bring you excitement and joy, not anxiety and disbelief. 

You have written a story with powerful themes to arouse intellectual curiosity and deliver an emotional impact; moralistic fiction, where powerful characters are forced to examine their principles and beliefs. A story you are proud of!

So, you will NOT listen to this brain hiccup of doubt — especially at this crucial time!

I picked up a copy, and a warm glow enveloped me. I made this (with the help of Troubador, of course). Slowly, I ran my fingers over the cover, and was in awe of the cover designer, Chloe. How she had executed my thoughts to perfection: the pill — the i in the title, and the remedy as the full stop, my silhouette characters in the background, and my RAF pilot inside a medicine bottle — pure genius!

Then there are the colours that stand out, but it’s the embossed features that add a captivating quality to the cover design — though sadly this won’t be experienced with the eBook version. 

And the glossy bookmarks have their own design, with Lexie on the front and Pippa on the reverse, another special touch.

Holding my book was a moment of pure pride and joy

Satisfied I’d given Bitter Pill the best chance possible, and with my mindset in check, I was ready for my book launch.


I'm glad to say that the day was a success. I read an entire chapter to my audience and had their full attention. A colleague of mine recorded the session and once I have the recording, I may consider posting it here at a later date.

And, as you can see, I signed copies!



You can purchase my book here