Apologies for my lack of blog posts in recent weeks. It has been quite a busy time here in Tonto World, hence writing at 3.40am having finished work for the day.

Why so slack, Wheatman?

Well, my time has been taken up with managing five books for publication this year. The first one is Dirty Leeds, which is to be launched in Leeds on 24 September. It is now sent to print and I’m looking forward to seeing it in t’shops. We’ve got our first signing at Waterstone’s Leeds on 25 September and are waiting for Borders Leeds and Birstall to confirm dates. I’ll post details up when confirmed, and will post book covers up when I get round to reformatting them all.

Slimmer Charlie is done and dusted too and we’ve just had it confirmed that Charlie Walduck will be on This Morning show on 6 October 2009 to talk about his book! We’re also looking for more TV coverage and will be setting up signings in London around that time too.

The Road To Hell will be the next release and the manuscript is currently in production with loads of PR set for November and December.

Even More Tonto Short Stories winners will be announced hopefully at the end of September and the anthology will be out in December, exact date to be confirmed.

Also out in December will be Faces by Bernard O’Mahoney and Brian Anderson. Part true crime, part photography, this is an explosive book in every sense of the word and one I’m really looking forward to.

Tonto has also just signed Viz co-founder and self-confessed media whore Simon Donald up for a biography in October 2010. Provisionally titled ‘Simon Donald: Him from the Viz’, it is to feature all kinds of craziness, behind the scenes at Viz and Simon’s unique take on life in general, along with some mad photographs.

I’ll also be announcing another couple of signings for 2010 in the next couple of weeks.

Regular blogging will resume soon. Ish.

 I’m looking to start some ‘flash mobs’ up and want to recruit as many people as possible in the following areas initially:
Leeds – 24 September – ‘Dirty Leeds’ by Robert Endeacott
Manchester, 1 October – ‘Slimmer Charlie’ by Charlie Walduck
Sunderland, 5 November – ‘The Road to Hell’ by Sheila Quigley
Newcastle, 5 November – ‘The Road to Hell’ by Sheila Quigley

Interested? Then read on…
I want to promote the release of a book in each city and I’m looking to get as many people involved as humanly possible to help.

The plan:
We all meet up on the day in question.
You are given a t-shirt with the book cover on the front, release date on the back.
We walk the streets, we get attention, we get local press to come along – we promote the book.

This will take up ONE HOUR of your time. In return for this, you get a signed copy of the book, the opportunity of getting your face in as much press coverage as I can generate and a launch party invite.

It’s an experiment… let’s see if it works.

Email me with your name and city and I’ll contact you with further info.

Please pass this on to as many people as possible.

I met up with David Endeacott today, writer of Dirty Leeds.

Everything with this title is moving along nicely – the cover is complete, the manuscript is about to be typeset and proof read and I’m very happy with the project. Once it goes to print, the promotion and publicity campaign will be stepped up.

It is being launched at the Northern Monkey bar in Leeds on 24 September at 7.30pm. The local branch of Waterstone’s on Albion Street will be selling books on the night and will have tickets for the launch event. The capacity is limited, so make sure to enquire quickly to avoid disappointment.