Huge news.
Massive, even.
NinJAWriMo has finally done it.

For those not up to speed: NinJAWriMo (National and International January Writing Month) is our very unofficial, very inconsistent writing challenge that’s mostly just me and PickledPixie making grand plans and then watching deadlines as they sail past.

But we’ve finally done it. We’ve achieved the dream.
We did it!
I did it!
PickledPixie did it!
NinJAWriMo has it’s first officially published book!

Okay. Tiny technicality.

It wasn’t written by me or Pixie. Yaznee wrote it.

One of the original three NinJAWriMo-ers, back when this whole thing began in 2012 as a slightly overambitious writing experiment.

PickledPixie and I have been perfecting the art of slow-motion procrastination. Meanwhile, Yaznee has been off writing an actual book. And now it’s real, and published, and out in the world.

The book is called Bonnie Prince Charlie and the Battle of Culloden, and it’s by Amelia Swanney (that’s Yaznee’s author name, she has one of those now!). Well, to be fair, it’s also her real name.

Now, to be clear: I had absolutely nothing to do with this. Nor did PickledPixie. We’ve both been “working on stuff” in the same enthusiastic but mostly inactive way that I treat my gym membership. But I will be claiming full credit.

Yaznee was once a part of NinJAWriMo. Thirteen years ago. For, like, a month. That makes her success our success. Obviously. That’s how we’re choosing to interpret it, and frankly, no one can stop us. Unless she gets lawyers involved – then I feel sure we’d probably back down a little. Quietly. And with some light apologising.

So go check out her book. Read it. Tell her she’s amazing.

Then lean out your window, whisper “Thank you, NinJAWriMo,” and wait for the faint sound of PickledPixie and me enthusiastically shouting “YOU’RE WELCOME” from a safe distance behind a blank Word document.

After which we’ll probably procrastinate for another ten months before thinking about writing anything ourselves.

And if anyone asks how NinJAWriMo is going, please let them know it’s a resounding, unmitigated success.