COUNTDOWN TO LAUNCH – 3 WEEKS TO GO
Only three weeks left. Everything is really starting to happen and it has been a mad week.
I was asked to contribute to the Writer’s Process blog tour, which was interesting as it made me thing about why, how and what I write. If you want to see my thoughts on the subject (and a few tiny extracts from The Case of the Exploding Loo) you can click HERE.
Next, with the help of the wonderful Alice Johnson, I created a child-friendly author interview. It was a scary experience - the minute Alice pointed the camera at me I came over all ‘demented kids’ TV presenter’. Watching the video, my son muttered, ‘you smile too much,’ and wandered off in disgust. That’s my boy! When a friend asked him what he thought of the book itself, his response was, ’Yeah, it’s funny but it’s not as good as The Wimpy Kid.’ (I’m thinking of using that as a cover quote)
This is the week I discovered how few detectives kids today have heard of. When I asked a group of 7-12s which names they recognised among the following:
Nancy Drew, Miss Marple, Columbo, Poirot, Inspector Morse, Inspector Clouseau, Kojak, Sam Spade, Inspector Gadget, Jessica Fletcher, Veronica Mars, PK Pinkerton
A significant number came back with ‘none of the above . . . where’s Sherlock? Apparently ‘Veronica Mars sounds like a ‘twerker” And I was told off for forgetting PC Plum, the Secret Seven and the Famous Five
It was also a pretty productive week for Book Two (Go, writing dungarees!) – I am now on my final chapter and my family have given me their final warning that if I don’t move all the bits of paper that have taken over the entire living room, they will eat/bin/burn the lot.
I have firmed up my first event in the UK for the beginning of July. I am having a book signing and party in Lincolnshire, near my mum’s house (Mum, you will be expected to bring along all your friends, who will, in turn, be expected to buy a book about exploding toilets. Just so you know). So if you’re in Grantham on Saturday July 5th, pop along to WHSmiths on the High Street at around 2.30pm, and then follow me to the Italian restaurant a few doors down for cake and doughballs. I am still in the process of organising similar events (although perhaps with fewer doughballs and more wine) in Bristol and London later in July and August.
If you’re in the UAE, then events are already confirmed for the following dates:
Magrudy’s, May 30th late afternoon
Repton, June 3rd, 3pm
Kinokuniya, June 6th, 1pm and 3pm
The Old Library, June 13th, 10.30am (pre-booking required)
Costa, Arabian Ranches, June 14th, 10am (book club)
I am also chuffed to pieces that brilliant comedian/impressionist/actor off the telly, Max Dowler, (he’s been on Heartbeat, Ashes to Ashes and Celebrity Stalker … so something there for grans, mums and stalkers) is going to do a reading of the first chapter of The Case of the Exploding Loo, which I just know is going to be ACE.
Here is Max as Alan Rickman as the Sheriff of Nottingham as Queen, which is as mad as it sounds, and has been making me laugh all week. He’s promised to do me my own personal recording of ‘Alan Rickman’ reading the first page of my book, which would be the most exciting thing ever (unless he added in the voices of Russell Brand and Tom Hiddlestone, in which case I would listen to it on loop for the rest of my life).
Things are all happening with the virtual launch party. I have been speaking to Barack Obama’s people and it looks like he might be putting in an appearance, along with David Beckham, so watch this space . . .
On an utterly random note, for purposes that will soon be revealed, I am looking for 5 volunteers to shoot video footage of closed doors to men’s toilets. In exchange, those 5 lucky loo-filmers will receive a copy of ‘The Case of the Exploding Loo’. Anyone? Anyone?
Time for the thank yous – the usual weekly thank you to Alice Johnson, who just rules. A big thank you to Sue Harrison for being so keen to get a mention that she performed extraordinary feats of proofreading. Huge thanks to Reem Haroun who has been working like a trooper organising school visits and exciting me with cake ideas. To Jack Cheshire, for being mad as a badger and forcing me into strange conversations with Harp Smiths. A great big ‘YAY!’ to Renuka Koninger who has been my one woman PR machine all week and who has offered to buy 10 copies of my book as Summer gifts for friends, making me fall a little bit in love with her. To Max Dowler for being a star and for sounding like the lovely Alan. To Ray Addison for being my comedy mate. To the lovely people who have been sharing and re-tweeting things, which is HUGELY appreciated – Kate, Tracy, Clare, Elen, Emma, Tatum, Abi, Nichola, Rania, Lynne, Nikki, Sam, Sarah, Lindsay, Rachel and co. And last, but definitely not least, to the kind authors and bloggers who are currently reading review copies of the book. Eeek. I hope you like it!
The cover is now up on AMAZON and GOODREADS, and I wouldn’t mind at all if you wanted to press the ‘Add to wish list’ button or the ‘Want to Read’ button. Just saying.
That’s it from me until next week when it will only be TWO WEEKS UNTIL LAUNCH!
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