FEBRUARY 2021
Like many others I’m hoping 2021 is a better year for us all. The Corona virus has dominated our lives during 2020 and I’m delighted that I’ve just received my first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine with the follow-up dose booked in for April.
That apart, my lockdown life hasn’t changed a great deal and, as usual, I’m at my desk at 7.00 a.m. for another day of writing. Yesterday was ‘Groundhog Day’, a film I’ve enjoyed again and again! However, life is beginning to feel like that with breaks for coffee, meals, a walk up the hill to the local church, helping the grandchildren with their online schooling and, later in the day, following the daily briefings from the government.
Research for my novels is a huge part of my life and when I first began the Teacher series I used to visit York Library. Now most of what I need is on line or via a telephone conversation. So life has moved on. Even so, I’m looking forward to getting back into our many wonderful libraries. I’ve always considered them the cornerstone of a civilised society.
I noticed that even the new President of the United States added his tribute the countless thousands that poured in following the sad passing of Captain Tom. His selfless contribution to the lives of others was an example to us all.
I kept busy during 2020 with the launch of the latest novel in the Teacher series, ‘Back to School’, and the completion of my next novel, ‘School Days’. However the lack of opportunity to do signings and talks has meant it has been quite a lonely time with few opportunities for interaction with others in spite of the occasional zoom event.
Meanwhile the Bantam Press edition of ‘Back to School’ has promoted lots of positive emails with a large number of five-star reviews on the Amazon Books website. Many thanks to the huge number of readers who have been in touch to say how much they enjoyed stepping back in time to the sixties to when the young Jack Sheffield started out on his teaching career in a tough school in the West Riding of Yorkshire. The Corgi edition of this novel will be published on 14 January. Also, prior to lockdown I visited the ISIS studio in Oxford to make an audio recording of this novel.
The new novel, ‘School Days’, will be published on 9 September 2021 and is another prequel set in 1976/77. The art work for the cover is terrific and you really have to admire the skill of the artist and the production team at Penguin Random House.
The current restrictions have also impacted on my long awaited Literary Lunch event at the prestigious Royal Automobile Club in Pall Mall and this will no doubt be rescheduled.
In the meantime it’s back to another year of writing.
So best wishes to you all, keep safe and happy reading,
Jack