LONDON CALLING

Another busy one at Chateau Tonto.

Last week I received a letter from John Blake, the publisher named as my hero in a recent Bookseller feature. It was great to receive the letter… thing was, as I saw the JB marked envelope, immediately I thought it was royalties from one of my books, Cage Fighter. When I opened it, I saw here was no cheque and was expecting it just to be a letter saying ‘you’re not getting paid this year, Wheaters’ so it really made my day. John said he was flattered by the mention and wished me well – I think he’ll be my hero for a long time to come. Wonder if he’s got any jobs going…

The Bookseller feature sparked a lot of interest and I’m now in touch with some more established writers and agents. It’s dead exciting, like. I spoke to an agent today and he’s already sent me a few proposals. I reckon we’ll be doing business in the future and the agency definitely is on my wavelength and is one that I’d like to be associated with.  It always restores my faith in humanity when someone normal phones up for a chat about the industry, rather than some nutbag with the wrong number.

I’m in the process of signing a couple of books that are out of this world; one of them is out of this world, hack-shually… it was just another one of my brilliant links.

 ’My Life on Mars with Beagle 2′ by Colin Pillinger is the newest signing due for take off in May 2010.  Colin is the best-known professor in the UK and is instantly recognisable as ‘that eccentric scientist bloke with the sideburns’. We officially signed the contracts today and I can’t wait to get started working with Colin. Just need to think of some more space puns to end this one. Ermm… I’ll be selling astronaughtographed copies of the book on the website. Hehehe. He’s mates with members of Blur and Damien Hirst and played on the Fat Les single as well.

Eeeeeh… Lundun!

On WednesdayI’m off to London for meetings about a few other books. Amongst my schedule is a dinner meeting with Zippy (Ronnie Le Drew, but it sounds better to say I’m meeting Zippy) – the legendary puppeteer who is currently working on his autobiography ‘Unzipped’ for publication in July 2010. I’ll also be over at the Off The Kerb office for a meeting about Simon Donald’s ‘Him Off The Viz’ autobiography, set for an October 2010 release. I hope the office is what I expect – crammed full of comedians all doing funny stuff and drinking coffee, trying new material out and pitching book ideas to me. I’m sure that’s exactly what it’ll be like.

Then there’s a meeting with Sharon Osbourne’s brother, a possible ebook deal, catch ups with my distributor, sales reps and a meeting with a rights agent. Hope there’s enough time to fit in tea and scones with the old bean, go on a red double-decker, eat jellied eels and have a right old rave up. And hope I see some famous people so I can name-drop a bit more on my next blog. I’ll be on the spotted page of Heat magazine one day, I tells ya!

Big thanks this week to Gary Dolman for his Tonto support and top undercover investigative skills – cheers!