Book Announcement

The book that I have been writing is done. Suddenly everything that had been put on indefinite hold is back in motion, like a cartoon coming alive from suspended animation.

As I tackled the mundane, I caught myself reflecting on the whirlwind that has just been.

𝘈 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘢 𝘗𝘩𝘋 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘴. Having written both now I can say this with confidence. Especially as my book is utterly disconnected from my PhD. And even with 60% fewer words.

A PhD thesis has guardrails — for instance, a submission deadline, complete with a gentle reminder that if you go beyond the date that risks destroying the University’s stats, you will be de-registered.

A PhD thesis has an academic guide who gently but firmly reminds you to stop the temptation to keep gathering more and more data, and to start writing instead.

A book?

A book is imaginative and can leap around a bit, dysregulated, almost feral.

Yes, there are publisher-mandated deadlines but it is assumed you want your book published and in the hands of readers, so you will finish it in time.

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘩𝘋 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘦, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘪𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴. I am writing about stewardship and that could not have separated itself from the broader world because that is where it belongs.

A lot of people are involved in producing it — from your publishing team, to your interviewees, your early readers, your friends who come to make and freeze food, and your family that puts up with your unpredictability.

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘦𝘹𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘺 𝘸𝘦𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘰𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘩𝘋 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘶𝘴𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘱𝘵. Both were nourished by sweet, milky but strong coffees, and in case of the book, chilled because while I wrote, the sun raged outside my window, beating down mercilessly until a hosepipe ban was called.

𝘞𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘢𝘱𝘦𝘳, 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘤𝘭𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘺, 𝘢 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘧𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘨𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘨𝘺𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘸𝘶𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘍𝘖𝘔𝘖. In fact it was a great opportunity to put into action all the characteristics I describe future boards need.

And finally —

When I was writing a PhD, I had so much extra data that I used to write a blog using it. Yes alongside writing the PhD.

Now writing the book, well, it is similar except if you follow this link, you can not only participate in all the fun forthcoming but you can also pre-order the book wherever you are (see links below).

Unlike my PhD, you can have your own copy of the book to have and to hold.

Pre-order links:

In the UK: Amazon, Waterstones, Foyles

In the USA: Amazon

In India: Amazon (Kindle edition)