Thomas Hardy vs Jordan

Still not much news. Mrs O is about to go to my trusty editor for some proof-reading etc, then I will be checking it myself once more. By the time it's all printed and I'm satisfied, I should have my car, so I think I will build up my driving experience by touring around the M25 dropping off copies of Mrs Osbourne Regrets!

I've also ballsed up on Mad About the Boy. I accidently pressed 'create revision' on Lulu.com last night and now it's been set back because it thinks I've made changes, so it will be Christmas before it's distributed properly. Still, Mrs O will be out and about by then so it will all tie in nicely.

I watched a documentary on Thomas Hardy last night. He was a happy fellow wasn't he? I confess I haven't read any of his books but after watching this docu I think I will, but I'm not sure which one to start with. I think Jude the Obscure is too bleak and Tess of the D'urbervilles has been done to death so I will probably go for Far from the Madding Crowd. It did please me to discover that Hardy paid £75 to have his first book published - I haven't even paid that for Summerset or Mad About the Boy! And given this was around 1870, that's the equivalent of about £3000 today I would imagine. Apparently it took him five years to gain any sort of success and he started out by giving away free copies to his friends. Amazing, Thomas Hardy had to give away his books and pay a fortune to get published and yet Jordan is out-selling JK Rowling with her ghost-written rubbish. What a hippy dilly crazy world as the Frank and Walters sang.

I also want to briefly mention to UK viewers that on Living at 9pm on a Sunday is a show called The Underdog Show where 'celebs' train rescue dogs with a hope of getting them a home. Lesley Joseph (Dorian from Birds of a Feather) has a little terrier called Louise and it is the spitting image of Sally, my first dog. I want the number of that dog's agent! I want it to play Sheppie when the inevitable adaptation of Summerset is made (got to think positive here).

Enough ramblings. I've cut out alcohol, chocolate, cheese and caffine from my diet in order to avoid migraines. I'm also eating a magnesium rich diet and the change is making me a bit of space cowboy at the moment. Will be back on earth soon, I promise.