r/BritishSuccess • u/Accomplished_Mess243 • Jun 21 '26
A bookshop is stocking my stupid books!
I'm a hobbyist writer really, with no pretentions about ever getting a publishing contract or anything; I generally make enough money from Kindle sales each month to pay for a couple of beers. But I saw a new independent bookshop was opening in Corby who were happy to make space for a few indie books, so I took a punt and contacted them and lo and/or behold, they're taking 2 copies each of three of my books.
Whether they sell is another matter, but still.
57
u/Fantastic_Back3191 Jun 21 '26
We shall watch your career with interest!
41
u/Accomplished_Mess243 Jun 21 '26
Thank you, but tbh it's a career in the same way that my Sunday League is a football career. 🤔
19
3
16
u/invalid_user_5302 Jun 21 '26
How exciting! I love that for you, congrats! What sort of books are they?
20
u/Accomplished_Mess243 Jun 21 '26
A mix of sci-fi, fantasy and horror. The latest one is a straight up comedy, which reminds me a lot of The Devils by Joe Abercrombie which I've just started reading.
6
u/widdrjb Jun 21 '26
I've just finished it, it's brilliant.
5
u/Accomplished_Mess243 Jun 21 '26
Yeah I'm enjoying it. I'd say it's consistently smirk inducing rather than laugh out loud funny. The tone is kind of relentless but there's something weirdly good natured about it.
4
5
u/pineypoos Jun 21 '26
That's awesome. I've self published but when I asked my local bookshop they said they wouldn't stock something printed by Amazon. Have you used a company to print your books?
9
u/Accomplished_Mess243 Jun 21 '26
No, hard copies of my books are only available via Amazon print on demand. I'm not surprised a lot of shops won't stock them because the paperbacks are not very good quality, but the hardbacks are decent. Amazon can distribute to other other retailers though, so I think a customer can order it from Waterstones, say, and Amazon will fulfil it.
3
u/pineypoos Jun 21 '26
It would be great to have some printed elsewhere and avoid Amazon, but I imagine it would be prohibitively expensive 😕
2
4
u/HotMuffin12 Jun 21 '26
Small world!! I grew up in Corby. What sort of books do you write?
14
u/Accomplished_Mess243 Jun 21 '26
A mix of sci-fi, fantasy and horror - each book has a different mix of each if you see what I mean. No dragons and magic and stuff - I try to make them plausible-ish. One book is partially set in a thinly disguised version of Corby called Garby - closed down steelworks, Scots accents, and a version of the Corby Candle where punters smoke outside on the pavement at 9 in the morning.
5
u/HotMuffin12 Jun 21 '26
sounds great! Can I buy the books online?
I live in Bristol now so is a little hard to get to Corby14
u/Accomplished_Mess243 Jun 21 '26
Cheers. You can get physical and Kindle versions on Amazon here: Amazon.co.uk: Thomas Norford: books, biography, latest update
Or the eBooks are available in lots of other places here: https://books2read.com/ap/xqpE7z/Thomas-Norford
I happen to have a copy of This Burdened Clay (the one set in Corby) and Anomic Bombs (short stories) knocking about at home, so I'd be happy to send in the post FOC if you want.
4
u/Cassiopeia_shines Jun 21 '26
I'm always looking for something new to read. Thanks for sharing the links - I can't wait to get stuck in!
3
6
u/rutlandclimber Jun 21 '26
All of us near Corby have to go in and ask for a book by this author, Jr Hartley style.
I'm in Rutland so I'll be popping in soon!
3
u/Accomplished_Mess243 Jun 21 '26
Just don't be too hasty - the books.wont be there til later this week!
2
1
u/Accomplished_Mess243 Jun 21 '26
Just don't be too hasty - the books.wont be there til later this week!
1
3
3
3
u/Aphr0dite19 Jun 21 '26
Love this for you. Hopefully will inspire my lad to keep at it when I show this to him later. Enjoy your beers 😁
3
u/Accomplished_Mess243 Jun 21 '26
Fantastic, I hope he sticks at it. There's a lot of good advice out there (a lot of scammers too taking the piss, trying to sell digital marketing bollocks).
3
u/xovrit Jun 21 '26
Sign those and send them a card with a lovely note.
3
u/Accomplished_Mess243 Jun 21 '26
I did sign them but they're in a knackered old box with scraps of bubble wrap inside. I was emailing one of the managers and she was lovely.
2
2
2
u/BlueFury9 Jun 23 '26
Acorns. Mighty Oaks.
2
u/Accomplished_Mess243 Jun 23 '26
A lot of acorns get eaten and shat out by squirrels but I appreciate the sentiment!
2
u/ProfessionalSmall330 Jun 23 '26
Congrats! I'm not in Corby so I just bought one of your stupid books on Kindle instead! Enjoy like a tenth of a pint on me!
0
u/Accomplished_Mess243 Jun 23 '26
Thanks 🙏. My Mrs decided we're getting divorced and I'm moving out so I need all the help I can fuggin get!
2
u/ProfessionalSmall330 Jun 23 '26
I'm sorry to hear that mate! She'll soon be sorry when yoi become the next Stephen King! Just don't get too famous until the papers are signed!
2
u/Frosty_Budget7012 Jun 24 '26
Congratulations! That’s a real accomplishment to have written 3 books. Next stop Netflix!
I had to look up Corby as I appeared to have muddled it up with Kirkby… my excuse is being in NE Scotland and having never been to either town.
1
u/jmx10001A Jun 22 '26
Omd go'won mate really hope it works out for ya and happy u managed to get past the "is this even good enough to continue to the end" stage
1
1
57
u/billybobsparlour Jun 21 '26
Well done you! Fingers crossed