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Millennial Authors (And All Readers) Have A Nineties Idea Of What Being An Author Is.

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I was really intrigued and provoked by this insightful article in The Guardian which I think only began to take the lid off the reality of life for authors in 2024.  I think a huge amount of millennial disenchantment comes down to us having been indoctrinated with baby boomer ideas of what we should expect from our job and our income in terms of the wealth, housing and lifestyle we can expect.  This is an outdated mindset frankly that was not often promoted but also surprisingly stubbornly defended by (particularly right leaning) members of the baby boomer generation. This article made me think how this issue extends to what people expect of novelists- and by extension what novelists expect of themselves. In many ways I have got to do events with- and interview heroes of mine- in a way I never could have expected. The touching feeling of someone writing or telling you of the impact your work has had on you is still incredible, as is the feeling when a box of your books arrives in the
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'Love Letters To Music Itself': Scenes and Their Legacies event at Southside Lincoln with Audrey Golden and Jane Savidge

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 I was honoured to host this event for Lincoln Book Festival. Jane Savidge- as cofounder of the publicists Savidge and Best was behind much of the genesis of the Britpop movement and stewarded the successful public image (after years of obscurity) of Pulp, Suede and other key Britpop bands that reshaped our musical landscape and mindset. I recall as a teenager on the Isle of Wight reading the 'What's Eating Jarvis Cocker? Heroin? Porn?' headline of Select Magazine in my local newsagents, never dreaming I'd get to talk to the person who came up with that whole angle.  Audrey Golden talked about the research process behind bringing to light the painfully overlooked story of the women of Factory Records. Despite this being the night The Last Dinner Party were (not) playing in Lincoln we had a crowd of discerning musical types who asked great questions.  Many others made this event a beautiful occasion. My partner Rachel put together an incredible Pulp / Factory playlist th
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Launch Party for You Complete The Masterpiece

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All are welcome to the launch party of my first novel since "Dead Rock Stars" on the 26th November at Lincoln University. The readers and performers that night are people I've discovered in the last few years whose work found exciting and I'm glad they all agreed to come which makes the night all the more meaningful for me. Tim Marks uses excerpts from "Dead Rock Stars" in his stand up comedy show which is on tour at which was recently at the Edinburgh Fringe. He's doing a one-off short set for this launch.  The novelist Amy Lilwall (who wrote the critically acclaimed novel The Biggerers) is reading, as are exciting talents such as Maya Shell, Em Burton and the brilliant Meg Whitelock who is not only a very exciting talent herself but who put this all together from scratch. The readings that night will be short and I'll be reading a little from You Complete The Masterpiece and signing books too, and there'll be drinks of course. If you would like
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First review for 'You Complete The Masterpiece'...

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First reviews are nerve-wracking! So thank you Helen Matthews (prize winning author of Girl Out of Sight) for this most kind review of my first novel in four years- the Barcelona / Marrakech based literary thriller / literary puzzle 'You Complete The Masterpiece'. It's published worldwide 26th November and available for pre-order now (via this link). 'This is accessible literary fiction at its finest. I loved it. Highly recommended.' https://www.helenmatthewswriter.com/post/review---you-complete-the-masterpiece-by-guy-mankowski
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An aspiring author emailed me for some advice and I thought my reply *might* be of use to some...

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(Like a lot of people, being asked for some advice and being asked various questions about getting published went to my head and I spoke to the person who got in touch like I knew it all. I'm aware I don't and that more successful writers can probably offer him better advice. But in the hope this helps some here's my emailed reply-)   'Hi- not at all, you weren’t rambling and you ask the pertinent questions. You’ve caught me on a rather stressful day as I’m in negotiations with a film company about the content of one of my books- actually a lot more tricky than it sounds with no money readily in sight- but I’ll advise what I can and you can perhaps return to me further down the line on another better day if you like.  I’d be interested to know the name of your friends partner. I ask this because (and the same is true of me) in this field a lot of people tend to dish out advice as if they can advise on how to crack it when it’s a moving landscape with one person’s perspe
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Short film about my forthcoming novel You Complete The Masterpiece (now on pre-order)...featuring my students

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  The University of Lincoln were kind enough to film and interview me about my forthcoming novel, which included them coming into one of my lectures! The (very) short film can be watched here The novel is about a group of people working together to expose institutional corruption. Part thriller, part literary puzzle, and set between Morocco and Barcelona the novel looks at artistic legacy and the challenges that arise when our own identity is built around problematic artists. Of the novel, bestselling author Ruth Dugdall said, 'he combines the genres of thriller with literary fiction, and this is his best book yet.'  It can now be pre-ordered here . 
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New representation for book and film rights from The Hamilton Agency

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Great to now be represented for book and film rights by Matthew Hamilton at The Hamilton Agency of Holland Park, London and for film rights by Leah Middleton at Marjacq. It's an honour to be alongside other authors and musicians the agency represents, (who've informed my writing so much) like Tim Burgess, Cosey Fanni Tutti, Alan McGee, John Robb, John Crace, Tim Booth, Nicholas Blincoe, Nick Kent, and Mogwai's Stuart Braithwaite. Matthew's enthusiasm for the Kristen Pfaff book puts the project in great hands. Website here 
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