It’s over two years since I wrote the first words of Ways to Live Forever, strange though that sounds. I’ve come a long way in those two years – then I was a poor student trying to find a story to tell; now I’m a professional writer, with a real book sitting on bookshop shelves.

Ways to Live Forever is officially released today. It’s available in all good bookshops, including W H Smiths and Waterstone’s, where it’s being promoted as part of the Waterstone’s Children’s Prize. Look for a sort of cardboard bookshelf with the prize logo on top. It’s also in buy-one-get-one-half-price in Borders, and there are signed copies available in London branches of Waterstone’s and Foyles. It should be in the teenage section, but if not, try the nine-to-twelve.

We had a launch party on Saturday, which was great fun, if a little hectic. Lots of people came, including one friend I haven’t seen since I was sixteen. My very talented friend Sarah McIntyre made me the airship you can see in the photos (thanks, Sarah!) and three people from Scholastic came to sell books. My mum and Tom got to meet my editor and agent at last, which finally put the small but niggling fear that I’ve been inventing this whole being-published thing to rest.

Anyway. It’s strange to think that my book is now in a bookshop. I went and visited it the other day and it looked very small on the shelves. How odd to think of strangers buying it and reading it and thinking of it as a real book – instead of the pile of words I think of it as. What if they don’t like it? Or worse, what if no one buys it at all?

If you’ve read it and liked it, please do lend it to your friends (or even better, buy them a copy). Put a review on Amazon, or mention it in your blog. Visit www.waystoliveforever.co.uk and leave a comment.

Every little helps.