My literary career kicked off in 1956 when, as a resident of Swansea, South Wales, I published my first novel, 'Lucky Jim.'
Though written in the 1970s, 'Falling Angel' is firmly set in 1959.
You need to recognize that the copyright date on a book reflects when it came out, not when it was written - assume that the information in the book is at least a year older than the copyright date, and possibly two.
My mother loaned me $1000. The first issue came out at the end of 1953. I knew I needed something original. I had a photographer shoot a 3D feature for the first issue and learned it would cost too much money. When the 3D thing turned out to be too expensive, at that same moment I came across the photos of Marilyn Monroe.
It will soon be 25 years from the date of publication of my first research work. That the scientific aspirations kindled by that early work did not suffer extinction has been due entirely to the opportunities provided for me by the great city of Calcutta.
My first book, 'The Age of Wire and String,' came out in 1995, and it was hardly reviewed at all.
After 30 novels, release day is still a thrill. It's always a little bittersweet, too.
What a fantastic honour to be given the opportunity to write a column in the first ever 'Sunday Sun.'
I always chose the byline.
This book that I just wrote is going to be coming out very soon to Australia.
A couple of weeks after that, Zebra Books phoned with an offer, and I accepted.
I entered Yale in the fall of 1951, and about November of that year, Bill Buckley published 'God and Man at Yale.'
I had a few stories and longer pieces published, but my first proper novel came in 2003, called 'Dead I Well May Be.'
Most people do not pay attention to the publisher's imprint on a given book.
In the middle of my fourth year teaching is when I got my book contract - in 2010. I knew the book would come out in May 2011.
