Quirky by name, quirky by nature

Someone asked me the other day why, given our surname, we hadn’t gone for a name like 'Quirk Publishing', or 'Quirk Books'. We did think about it. But there were two problems.

First, we didn’t want it to appear that this was a self-publishing venture to get my work into print. It most certainly isn't, but folk often put two and two together and make whatever damn number suits their theory.

The second reason is that there is already a successful independent publisher going by the name Quirk Books, who up until recently dealt mainly with non-fiction. I've been following their adventures for the last couple of years and they hit the big time earlier this year with a novel, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.

There are 600,000 copies of P&P&Z in circulation, and the follow-up has been announced - Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters. Makes sense, I guess. The cross between period drama and zombies caught the imagination of both readers and the publishing world and the chaps at Quirk Books pounced on the publicity generated, and good luck to them.

Was P&P&Z merely a gimmick of an idea? Or is there something more substantial beyond the concept? I can't say, as I've not read the book yet. But it has worked, that's for sure, and it's a soaring success story that gives hope to a small publishing house trying to find its wings.

On another note, a quick word of thanks to everyone who has wished us well with Nemesis. There are exciting times ahead, and we're glad you're along for the ride.

And on yet another note, talking of success stories, Our Kid seems to have suddenly become obsessed with Harry Potter. He's six, and was hooked on the first movie from the age of two, but fell out of love with young Harry when he discovered 601 on the Sky remote and Power Rangers: Jungle Fury and Ben 10 soon ruled.

But he now has Harry Potter tapes on what appears to be a continual loop in his bedroom and has started to ask to see the films again. I even found him watching Philosopher's Stone earlier while wearing his glasses. We usually have to glue his glasses to his face to keep them on.*

What's more, he actually seems to know what is going on now. We have a few of the books, so that's the next step. You have another fan, JK.

Till next time.

(* A slight use of poetic licence here. Of course we don't glue his glasses to his face. That would be cruel. We just nail them on)