Now that I’m back from holiday, and panicking in the run-up to the release of The Masked City on December 3rd – did I say panicking? I mean calm anticipation, of course, peaceful placid patient self-controlled etcetera, a lotus floating on the lake, a swan drifting down the river.

(So basically, panicking.)

But here’s a little giveaway – free copies of The Masked City available on Goodreads. I’m afraid it’s only for inside the UK, so apologies to all those who aren’t, and I will cross my fingers that you have a later opportunity to get one for your own country. (I can hope.) But in the meantime:

The Masked City – Goodreads giveaway

The very best of luck.

So, she said slightly guiltily, let me catch you up on the news.

Here’s a lovely shot of the cover proofs for The Masked City:

Look at the stunning cover proof for @GenevieveCogman's THE MASKED CITY! Top-class followup to THE INVISIBLE LIBRARY pic.twitter.com/q2SDDGv73V

— Bella Pagan (@BellaPagan) October 21, 2015

And here’s a link to the American covers of The Invisible Library and The Masked City, together with chapter one of The Invisible Library:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/sci-fi-fantasy/exclusive-cover-reveal-excerpt-genevieve-cogmans-invisible-library-series-comes-to-the-u-s/

(go on, click it, you know you want to)

I’m just beside myself at the moment. They look gorgeous. I have been so lucky with my publishers.

And now there’s less than two months till The Masked City comes out (in the UK, at least)…

I am absolutely thrilled to be able to announce that I am going to be published in America by Ace/Roc Books.

More details will follow about publication dates, no doubt gorgeous covers, etcetera, as soon as I have them.

I am currently higher than a zeppelin and bouncing around the room. (Or at least, I would be, but I need to get on with editing book three…) Many thanks to Ace/Roc for taking me on, and I am just so pleased at the moment that I lack appropriate vocabulary to express it.

First note: The Invisible Library is currently at 99p on amazon.co.uk in Kindle format:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Invisible-Library-Genevieve-Cogman-ebook/dp/B00M44051E/ref=zg_bs_341689031_68

I don’t know how long it’ll be that way, so take advantage while you can. (Apologies to non-UK readers.)

Second note: I’m in the editing stage on book 3. It doesn’t have a definite title yet. I have something in mind, but it may give away too much of the plot, so … we’ll see.

Third note: I may have some good news in the near future. More details when I have them. Hopefully very soon.

Where do we stand? Well, book two seems pretty much wrapped up, and now I’m working on book three. (Rocks fall! Everyone dies! Hopefully not.)

I will be attending the Nine Worlds convention in London in August. Other than that, I expect to be keeping my nose to the grindstone. And my shoulder to the wheel. And similar unhelpful contortions, assisted by coffee. Ah coffee, I love you dearly, never leave me.

Currently watching the Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell tv series, which is extremely good. Mind you, the book is even better, so go and read that. I admit to bias. I almost always prefer the book, even if the tv series is a priceless gem and an adaptation of the sort which is only seen once in a lifetime. I think it’s because I get so deeply into the book that I want to have every single moment and every single line in the tv adaptation, or in the movie, and while technically I realise that isn’t possible and won’t be happening, a part of me still regrets it. For instance, the scene in the book where the Gentleman enchants the King and Jonathan, and Jonathan has to perform the “moon before my eyes” charm. Absolutely fantastic in the book. I do accept that they probably couldn’t do it in a tv version. But I still miss it.

(And yes, I would no doubt be a Norrellite. Far happier among my books than at a party.)

Creeping quietly, with catlike tread, Amazon.co.uk (and amazon.de!) have put up entries for book two in the Library sequence, The Masked City. Due out in October.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Masked-City-Genevieve-Cogman/dp/1447256255/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1432857531&sr=1-2

I am torn between being delighted about how gorgeous it looks (thank you, my publishers! thank you, my cover designer!) and wanting to show it to all my friends, and even people who aren’t my friends, and on the other hand hiding in a corner and chewing my fingernails until it comes out. Which is going to be another five months yet, so probably not the world’s best option.

On a side note, the cover of the German-language version of The Invisible Library (due out in December) is now visible on amazon.de:

http://www.amazon.de/Die-unsichtbare-Bibliothek-Roman-Bd/dp/3404207866/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1432855055&sr=1-1

I have been blessed with some gorgeous covers.

My current workload is strewn all over my flat. Notes for book three, and now the page-proofs for book two. (And everything else that’s strewn all round the flat, because, well, these things just happen, and I’m sure that everyone has a load of unfinished quilts and balls of yarn and bits of fabric and whatever piled up around the place. Right? Right.)

If you commented on my last post in order to win a copy of the audiobook of The Invisible Library, then please check: you may have won. (And if you did win and I sent you a copy, then bravo.)

I’ve been beset by another idea, which for the moment I’m just piling up notes about, since there’s no time to work on it. For what it’s worth, the notes include comments on Arthuriana, Goetia, cats, and Bletchley Park. We shall see.

Those who saw this blog yesterday saw that I was bouncing up and down and screaming – er, that is, expressing my happiness in a mature and decorous manner – about The Invisible Library being released as an audiobook. (Available on audible.com, audible.co.uk, and amazon!) As you might guess, I’m still totally thrilled.

In order to celebrate the book’s release as an audiobook I’m running a little random giveaway on this blog. The conditions are:

a) post a comment to this entry, giving me a book that Irene should “acquire” for the Library. (Books have to be works of fiction, but can be real or can be fictional. Go ahead. Amuse me.) Only one entry per person, please.

… er, that’s all the conditions.

I’ll draw the winner at midnight UK time on Sunday 19th April. (I have to be up for work on Monday morning, after all…) The winner will get an audio download code for The Invisible Library. Thanks in advance to all those who comment.

Oh, and for anyone who wants a double chance of winning a copy, Lucienne Diver (my admirable, excellent, and awesome agent) is also running her own giveaway on her blog at https://luciennediver.wordpress.com/2015/04/16/book-and-library-themed-books/ – and her blog’s an excellent read in any case, so you’re on the credit side of the ledger whichever way you stack it up.

The Invisible Library is now out on audiobook!

http://www.audible.com/pd/Sci-Fi-Fantasy/The-Invisible-Library-Audiobook/B00SXHKHBO

… and

http://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Sci-Fi-Fantasy/The-Invisible-Library-Audiobook/B00SXHCKQY/ref=a_search_c4_1_1_srTtl?qid=1429004062&sr=1-1

Beautifully read by Susan Duerden, and making me go “this sounds awesome… did I actually write this?”

The audiobook version of The Invisible Library comes out tomorrow. I can’t wait to hear it. And there will be a little random giveaway on this site coming up, so watch this space.

Otherwise, I’ve handed in the copy-edits on The Masked City (book two), and I’m working on book three. No rest for the wicked…