Proofs, Publicity and podcasts (love me some alliteration)

Proofs! I got beautiful page proofs. With my name under the title, pages all single spaced and numbered and laid out like a proper book. I spent quite a while just looking at them, thinking how funny it was that the change in format suddenly made it already something 'not mine' – how it already felt out in the world. Then I spent my evenings for a week hunched over bowls of noodles, meticulously proofing until my eyes felt like raisins rolling around in their sockets. Those who have ever read this blog will know I am not a great proofer, I was abjectly grateful for the knowledge of a professional proofreader working away somewhere doing a 100% better job than me. I sent the proofed pages off this Monday on a big padded envelope. I think I have empty nest syndrome.

PR! Last week I also met my very lovely publicist from Random House for a coffee and a chatter. I know how limited resources are to promote debut novels so it was particularly exciting to hear all the things they were hoping to do – if only a tenth of the things on that list come good I'd be very chuffed indeed. For my part I flew my true working-class-hard-graft-colours (hard to do when you're sipping a latte in Shoreditch) and said I would do anything and everything I could. Though I may implement a nudity clause.

Podcasts! So, on Monday I am headed to Random House to record a short podcast of me reading from Tony Hogan and answering some questions. Do we think that I can answer 'I really wouldn't know, I'm just a girl from a council estate' for all tricky questions? I'll report back after I have done my umms and ahhs for my half hour.