KHALID PATEL

March 2021

The Hollow Shotguns hardback is almost ready. The near-final proof sits beside me, beautiful, close to every detail of the artwork captured. The interior crisp, paper premium. It would have been out next week but I’m pushing the release to summer. Covid-related restrictions mean production times are too slow, erratic, to release this as intended. I’ve been quietly working on a deluxe edition too, signed in shotgun shell powder with black sprayed edges and loaded with extras like art cards (more on this soon). I wanted it to be available alongside the regular unsigned edition, but struggles obtaining the tools, mediums and materials, and that the various crafters and artisans I’m liaising with are experiencing their own difficult turnaround times, mean if I do release that now it’ll be half-cooked. I’m not keen on half-cooked.

I’ll fill the delay with fresh versions of Dr Craine’s Body and “Red”, as outlined in Plan and Toil. My website KhalidPatel.com is also being refurbished, the ability to purchase products from the site instead of outside retailers being implemented. That will be complete by summer, so better to drop the book then as everything converges neatly.

Besides, the story is set in summer.

In short, Hollow Shotguns main hardcover edition locked and loaded, beautiful, expectations met. But the finger will quiver hairbreadths from the trigger until summer heat prickles the skin, dust-fattened moths tap at the windows. At which point it will blow your head clean off.