12 Days Left...and Counting!

Two important Thomia-related things happened yesterday. First, I had a call from Softwave to confirm that the first completed copies of the book would be delivered today, 20 February, as promised. Second, I made a call of my own, to confirm with the proprietors of the Barefoot Gallery Cafe that I shall be holding the official launch of Thomia there on the fourth of March.

'You must be so excited!’ various folk have said to me. 'Oh, it must be such a relief,’ say others. I’m not sure either is true. I’ve lived with this project for so long – over a dozen years! – that the idea of its coming to fruition at last is taking its time getting fixed in my mind. In the meantime, there’s still work to do every day – mostly promotion and sales-related work now, of course – and I’m far too occupied with that, and worrying about all the things that could still go wrong, to feel either excitement or relief.

There is, however, a certain undeniable satisfaction at having stayed the course. To be honest, I didn’t think I had it in me. ‘Lacks application’; ‘works in spurts’ – that was the kind of comment masters would write on my fortnightly reports at St Thomas’s. Perhaps people can change, after all. As I was saying to someone the other night, I was a different person when I began this book.

Enough about me. I am happy to confirm that Thomia: the Engtangled Histories of Lanka & Her Greatest Public School will be officially available on the market – and, I hope, in bookshops – by Mar 4. I hope people like it; as I’ve said to some of my customers, I’ve done my best to make it entertaining as well as informative. In any case – no credit to me, but to Clio, the Muse of History, herself – the story of St Thomas’s College and its 175-year pas de deux with Lanka is an extraordinary tale, packed choc-a-bloc with action, excitement and controversy. Not everyone who reads the book is going to like everything I’ve written in it – but it’s reasonable to hope that even my fiercest detractors (one eminent old boy is already referring me as ‘this so-called author’, I hear) will find something to like about it.

Special Offer Price Ends 4 March!

With the launch of Thomia, the special pre-publication of Rs 19,990/– per copy will, I’m afraid, cease to apply. I’m still not sure what the final recommended retail price will be – I’m going to have to talk to a few booksellers first – but I’m pretty sure it will be at least 20 per cent higher. That’s a big chunk of cash, but then, Thomia is a big chunk of a book.

In the meantime, of course, there’s still time to buy your copy or copies at the special offer price. If you’re reading this, you’re already on the Thomia Website, so just click on this link, or click on the menu bar where it says CLICK HERE TO ORDER NOW (if you’re on a laptop or tablet), or tap the three parallel bars at the top right-hand corner of the screen (if you’re on your phone) to go to the order page

✵✵ STOP PRESS: AND HERE THEY ARE! ✵✵

Even as I was typing this post, the printer called again asking for directions to my house. Ten minutes later their lorry was at the door and the books were being unloaded. Here they are, all stacked up in our spare bedroom and locked up safe from the cats. Deliveries commence tomorrow, but don’t panic if you don’t get yours within a day or two: it’s going to be a slow process. Just like everything else about Thomia.

Richard Nawala,

20 February 2025