Inverkeithing writer thrilled as debut book set for launch

Gareth Brown's book, The Book of Doors, will be released on February 15 and has already picked up a string of top reviews including one from best-selling author Lee Child.

The man behind the Jack Reacher novels urged people "not to miss" the book, describing it as "a stunning fever dream of a story that feels completely real."

Gareth wrote the book in his spare time while working full time in his post as Director of Screening for NHS National Services Scotland.

Gareth Brown whose debut novel, The Book of Doors, comes out on February 15. Pic: Siew Peng Lee (Image: Siew Peng Lee)

He has been delighted with his dream introduction into the world of publishing.

"It is kind of when you want when you want to be a writer, the flood of hope you get when you start writing books," he said. "I had got a literary agent at about the start of the covid pandemic on the basis of another book I had written but that didn't sell.

"I pitched ideas and one idea was the Book of Doors and he said write about that one because people like books about books. It took about three and a half months. That was in Spring 2022 and we sold it a couple of months later."

READ MORE: Residents left in dark because of faulty streetlights

The book, a nail-bitingly exciting contemporary fantasy story, is based in New York City and features bookseller Cassie Andrews who is living an unassuming life when she is given a gift by a favourite customer.

The book – an unusual book – is full of strange writing and mysterious drawings. And at the very front there is a handwritten message to Cassie, telling her that this is the Book of Doors, and that any door is every door.

Cassie discovers that the Book of Doors is a special book that bestows an extraordinary powers on whoever possesses it, and soon she and her best friend Izzy are exploring all that the Book of Doors can do, swept away from their quiet lives by the possibilities of travelling to anywhere they want.

Gareth came up with the idea during lockdown and managed to squeeze in his writing around work.

"I had had the idea for a long time," he explained. "Over the Covid pandemic, being stuck in a flat for months at a time made me want to travel. There was the idea that if I could open the door and go anywhere and it clicked for me then.

"I think my experience has been that I am at the lucky end of the spectrum. My agent was going on holiday and said he will put it out and be back in two weeks and see where we are. He went off on holiday and the next day, we were having calls with publishers.

READ MORE: Business Gateway helps bring taste of Africa to Dunfermline

"We sold it to the UK, Germany, Italy and the US within 10 days. Since then, it is up to about 20 territories in total.

"Most foreign rights deals will normally sell after the book is published so to have sold 18 foreign rights is amazing, and television production rights when it isn't even out yet."

With positive reviews already pouring in ahead of the book launch, Gareth is still pinching himself over Lee Child's comments.

"There were quite a few nice author reviews but that was the first one that came through and it was an author that I had read a lot of," he said.

"It said how much he had liked it and the fact that he had read it all. That was a punch me moment that one of the world's best selling authors had actually read it."

The Book of Doors which will be launched on February 15. (Image: Contributed)

It wont be a one-book wonder for Gareth who is hoping to add to his library of published novels in the coming years.

He added: "The UK and the US contracts were two book contracts so they are owed a second book. I have written a second book – we will go to the publishers about the time the book comes out and they will look at it.

"Hopefully that will be published in about 12 months time. If they don't like that or want a different book, I will have to write another one this year.

"The publishing industry, you never kind of make it. You are constantly pitching the next book. There are no guarantees. You have got to work for it."

Pre-orders of The Book of Doors are available on bookshop.org as well as online at Waterstones and Amazon.