They're Playing Our Tune by the Pale Moon

What a bloody week it has been. Lulu have royally stuffed up. I thought it suspicious when the 16 books I ordered last Thursday were dispatched on Friday (given that it normally takes a week to print one book). When they arrived on Monday, I opened the box to discover all the Summersets had Mad about the Boy covers and vice versa. After contacting Lulu (they don’t do phones, had to all be done by email) I had to take photographs of the books to prove they’d stuffed up, even though I’d asked them just to take the dodgy books back and reprint proper ones. Thankfully they believed me and said they’ll re-order the books to be properly done and I can keep the sixteen dodgy ones. At first I thought I could make a bonfire in the garden. Then it came to me that there are such things as labels. So I’m going to make a plain cover for both books and stick labels with the right titles over the top of the dodgy covers and give them away.

So, if you would like a free copy of Summerset or Mad About the Boy, let me know and I’ll send you one (limited obviously as I only have sixteen).

I’ve nearly finished The Pioneers. It’s been great fun writing the book basing fictional characters on real people. I wonder if anyone will guess who they’re supposed to be. Two people are reading it as I’m writing it – my mum and my mate Kelly. My mum has passed no comment on it so I get the feeling she hates it, whereas Kelly loves it so I presume that it appeals to a younger audience. Funny seeing as it’s set in my mum’s era.

As well as this, I’ve found another cover for 2b1. It’s not as appropriate as the other one, but the woman never got back to me so I had no choice but to look elsewhere. I just hope Lulu don’t stuff up on that one or I will seriously consider going elsewhere.

One great thing that’s come out of writing The Pioneers is that I’ve had to absorb myself in the music of the 1970s to get a feel for the era and I’ve so discovered Roxy Music. Because I was only wee when they were at their biggest, up until now, my only knowledge of the Eno era Roxy was Virginia Plain. I was always more aware of later stuff like Avalon, Angel Eyes etc. Eno era Roxy is bloody astounding and even the period just after he left still felt his influence. Songs like In Every Dreamhome A Heartache and Do the Strand rock. I also want to know why Bryan Ferry who is a bit of a pretentious prat who at times looks like Hitler and can’t dance, can still be sexy. I can definitely see why ladies loved him back in the day but he is still a bit weird and at times sinister – weird.

I’d finally like to give a shout out to my friend Angela’s Book Big Brother’s Big Blubber. It’s a bloody hilarious take on the world of Big Brother and Celebrity in general with interesting cameos from everyone from the Queen to George W Bush!
You can buy it right here

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Big-Brothers-Blubber-2008/dp/1438924143/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1227879059&sr=8-1

Ciao for now x