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

Karen's knowledge of Music isn't as great as she thought it was!

Firstly, I have decided not to get an agent. I’ve thought long and hard about it and weighed up the pros and cons and have decided to go it alone. Yes, an agent could get me a publishing deal. But what does that mean exactly? That at least 35% of my sales go to other people when I’m the one who does all the work myself. At least doing it my own way I get to keep all the takings myself. Maybe sometime along the line I’ll change my mind, but for now I’m flying solo.

On another note, with my weird Roxy Music thing at the moment. I always thought Glass of Champagne was by Roxy Music and actually it was by Sailor (top song), and the last scene of the first episode of Ashes to Ashes plays out with a really cool song, and I thought it was Japan and bought the greatest hits of Japan and it was a load of crap and I never found that song. Then, whilst watching the docu on Roxy, they played Same old Scene and I thought ‘hang on, that’s the song at the end of Ashes to Ashes’ and it is. So I thought Sailor was Roxy Music and Roxy Music was Japan.

Talking of that scene in Ashes to Ashes, I think there is something sexy the way Gene pours the wine for Alex without her asking. Don’t ask me why, I’m a strange person. But if you want to watch it, here it is.

Ciao for now Kx

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvj2B6NGKCA

Same Old Scene

Heard from the literary agent. What a surprise, Two Become One isn’t the sort of thing they can find a market for! This comes on the same day I received an email from Hampshire Library saying they’re going to accept a donated copy of Summerset. So that will be at least three libraries in the UK that will have my book in by the end of the year. Mrs Osbourne will soon be on the shelves and I’m asking myself why I even need to find an agent, why don’t I just carry on as I am?

The itch to write is starting in me. I found writing Mrs O quite limiting because it wasn’t much more than a short story. But I want to get stuck into a proper novel over the winter. I’ve also got to do Two Become One and Winner Takes it All, but The Pioneers is starting to take shape in my head.

I almost must mention that I have only just discovered a song called In Every Dreamhome a Heartache by Roxy Music. It is a really sinister song about a lonely, rich man’s love for his inflatable doll. Me being me it has sparked so many ideas for a crime book involving a sicko and his love for dolls. I truly am going to become like Barbara Cartland, knocking out a new novel every 2 hours!

Ciao