The Lost Diary of Samuel Pepys out now in paperback
Named one of the best historical thrillers of 2022 by The Times and Book of the Month by the Independent, The Lost Diary of Samuel Pepys by Jack Jewers is released in paperback today. To celebrate, we asked Jack to write a few words about the whirlwind that leads up to a publication day –and the historical event that has made this one particularly crazy…
“Well, it’s here! Nine months after the hardback burst onto the scene like a new shipment of sack to a disreputable alehouse, The Lost Diary of Samuel Pepys is published in paperback today.
But books don’t just appear fully formed on the shelves, imagined into existence by the labours of the author alone. I’m fortunate to have a fabulous team that’s been there to bring Pepys and his misadventures to the world, on their A game every step of the way.
My schedule for the last two weeks has been bonkers. A while back I casually mentioned to my brilliant publicist, Amanda, that it'd be good to tie in the paperback release of my book to the coronation in some way. Piggyback the Chazzle Dazzle for a write up or two.
‘Consider it done’ said brilliant Amanda, with what I’m sure in retrospect was a grin that suggested I might not know what I was in for.
Well, after one-and-a-half weeks in which I did 18 radio interviews, 1 TV interview, 1 Spanish newswire (he wanted to know all about the coronation... of Catherine of Aragon, that was a curve ball), and multiple articles written, I am done. I am practically made of anecdote at this point. I have lost count of the number of times I have told the story about Queen Victoria abolishing the most fun coronation tradition of all time (involving a white knight), how George IV (a dick) locked his wife (an unlikely feminist hero) out of Westminster Abbey, and how Samuel Pepys curiously never mentioned to Charles II when they became chummy that he'd skived off school to watch them cut his dad's head off.
A huge thanks to all the presenters, producers and editors who invited me to talk Pepys and the history of coronations. It was an absolute blast.
The Lost Diary of Samuel Pepys is now in paperback from all good bookshops and some bad ones, at the very reasonable price of £8.99. You can still buy the hardback (for a limited time only – there are no more left once current stocks are sold) and the audiobook. Ironically there are no coronations at any of them, but there is a plot that one reviewer called "Charlie's Angels meets Pirates of the Caribbean." And if you'd like any coronation history fun facts as a bonus, consider me your random fact generator. Just hit me up on Twitter.”
— Jack Jewers, 11 May 2023
