Writing Words…

So, a bit of news broke online yesterday… I’m writing a book!

This is something that I never imagined I would be saying out loud, or to even be happening… but it is.

It’s called ‘Back In The Frame’ and is something a little different. A mix of part guide, part memoir, I’m telling the story of how I got back into cycling, along with some of the bumps and bloody brilliant stuff that has happened on the way.

Quite surreal to see this, but The BookSeller have said a few words about it, if you fancy having a read.  I’ll be honest with you –  I’ve kept this news tucked away in my panniers for a few reasons. I’m a superstitious soul. There was every chance that this could have all come to nothing. I’ve been working away on “Operation: The Project” with my brilliant Literary Agent Jo Bell, since September last year. From initial excited discussions, to writing, editing and re-writing example chapters and getting to the proposal stage, it was both a mix of “OMFG” and freaking out during the whole process. Jo was an absolute megastar getting my work out there to publishers, while I was secretly panicking about it all. Partly because as I said it could have come to nothing (but the experience of doing it was still awesome)… and of course my old foe Imposter Syndrome was weighing heavy on my shoulders.

Then, meetings got pencilled into the diary with the quite frankly awesome Rhiannon Smith at Sphere, who had read my work and rather liked it. That blew me a away quite a bit to put it mildly. And then Sphere made an offer. Cue absolute freak-out mode and doing multiple endos* on my bike.

It’s all feeling very, very real. The news is out, “Operation: The Project” can be referred to by its proper name and now? Well, I get on with writing it. April 2018 has just become the biggest cycling milestone in my life… and one I certainly intend on meeting. Yes, this is going to be a lot of hard work, but you know what? I’m going to enjoy every moment of it. It’s writing about something that fills my heart to bursting point with joy. It’s talking to amazing women in cycling who have inspired me with their will and determination. It’s about getting Back In The Frame after a topsy-turvy time in life – and pedalling with all my might for this to work.

So, I hope you’re up for joining me on this journey… and putting up with me talking about it quite a bit. Just remind me to take breaks from the screen and go ride my bike… deal?

* I was doing said Endo in my head. Even after 7 years of cycling, I’m still not that lit on my bike bruv.