[Tina Shaw]

Just letting you all know that my YA novel has been released this month. It’s called Make a Hard Fist, and has been published by new Auckland publishers One Tree House. It’s lovely to see it in hard copy.

[Dr Liza Pujji]

Congratulations, Tina!
Looks great, http://www.onetree-house.com/product-page/make-a-hard-fist-tina-shaw

[Tina Shaw]

Thanks!

[Kathy Swailes]

Congratulations Tina, I’ll have to have a read of that!

[Tina Shaw]

Great, hope you do 🙂

[Nikki Crutchley]

Congratulations Tina! Very exciting 🙂

[Tina Shaw]

Thanks!

[Carolyn McKenzie]

Great news, Tina. Going by the title, it sounds like a gritty, up-to-the-minute read.

[Tina Shaw]

Actually yes, I suppose my story is quite gritty. It’s about a girl who learns how to defend herself after being attacked in a city park, and is set in multicultural Auckland.

[Robyn Welsh]

Hi Tina, Congratulations on your latest book.     I recall you wrote a post last year about being knocked back on a manuscript from one publisher.  Is this the book that you’ve battled through to win success with?  Whether or not it is this book, you are quite the inspiration.  I’m looking forward to getting my hands on a copy of this.

 

[Tina Shaw]

Thank you! I can’t actually remember which earlier book that was … I may be a published author, but I get regularly knocked back. I suppose I’m just thick enough, or something, to keep on going despite all the knock-backs.

[Robyn Welsh]

Hi Tina,

Just replying to your post about knock-backs,  your tenacity is incredibly inspirational.  Your previous posts about keeping on going despite the knock-backs have been so important because they are about keeping this whole up-and-down writing thing real.  I’ve clipped out lots of media interviews and reviews about writers who have written, rewritten, edited, ripped up and started again and then finally got their work into print.     We have to keep on keeping on!  Thank you for all of your posts and everything you’re doing that keeps us inspired.

 

[Tina Shaw]

Yes, I’m afraid the writing life isn’t that easy when it comes to being published. So the surge in self-publishing in recent years has been really heartening. At least, if writers are knocked back by the mainstream publishers, they can still find an outlet for their work 🙂

[Robyn Welsh]

Hey there,  I’ve just taken time out at a cafe for coffee and some peace and quiet to finish the last 50 pages of your book ‘Make a Hard Fist’.  The cafe was packed so there was no peace and quiet to be had, but that was irrelevant.  When I looked up at the end of your book, half of the jabbering masses had departed and I’d noticed absolutely none of it.   I’d been totally immersed in the story of Lizzie and her mysterious stalker, a story that I truly found hard to put down.

This is my first YA read and I enjoyed all of it – the story, the pace, the tension …  I’m going to read it again to further study the structure, dialogue etc.  In the meantime, can you tell me the best place to post a review?

Note to every woman out there whatever your age, if you’re serious about keeping yourself safe then you have to read this book.

[Tina Shaw]

Hi Robyn, I’m so thrilled about your reaction to my book – and what a lovely image of you sitting in a busy cafe with your nose in a book (and my book!). Thanks so much. As for reviews, I’m not sure … I’ll try and find out.