Get some very nice letters from old friends and in the evening a wonderful bunch of flowers. Send out a bulk e-mail to many friends alerting them to the book and telling them where to buy it. Do live interview with Radio Cambridge and the first question takes me completely unawares – the interviewer asks what Julia Roberts was looking for in the bookshop when she first goes in. I hadn’t a clue … Margot (the publicist) suggests I watch the film again – I think she’s right!
Archive for April, 2008
My sister rings to say that there is a review in the Sunday Times. It doesn’t appear to be in the on-line edition – so here it is in full: ‘In 1957, aged 10, Anderson’s childhood was abruptly brought to an end when she was diagnosed as having cancerous lumps in her arm. A prominent surgeon amputated the limb, a procedure that, Anderson later found out, may not have been necessary. Halfway to Venus tells of her struggle to accept the loss of part of her body and to live with the prejudices of other. Mixed with these personal recollections are an exploration of amputation in history and art, and an examination of the ideal form as represented by the Venus de Milo. The author is fascinating about the ‘nerve storms’ that affect her phantom limb, and about her body’s memory of amputation (her wound is ‘metallic-edged’, she says). She is riveting, too, on such disturbing subjects as acrotomophilia – being aroused by the idea of having sex with an amputee. That this book had to be self-published (it was deemed too difficult to categorise) is testament both to her determination to expose taboo and to her own integrity.’ Freya-Grace McClelland, Sunday Times 27/04/08. I spend all day catching up on e-mails and tidying my desk and then later in the evening a friend e-mails to tell me that there is a review on the dovegreyreader website. Its rather overwhelming.
Another day of not being able to concentrate as various repercussions from all yesterday’s publicity. Guardian Unlimited put that I had written the film Notting Hill (I wish) – it has now been removed but was there due to some editor’s ‘imagination’. Hugely embarrassing – since it has already found its way onto other sites. The power of the internet!
I had a hunch when I woke at 7am that there might be something in the Telegraph, so I rushed downstairs to look online – and yes there it was - I then rushed out to see that it was in the paper Telegraph too. Different photographs – MUCH better online but big piece and good interview by Cassandra Jardine. I hope that this will really kick start the book. Very unfortunately the telephone number at the bottom had 2 numbers transposed and so people trying to order the book will get a recorded message saying ‘this number is currently not in service’. Also a page in the Grove magazine and my books on the wilderness at Guardian Unlimited .So things are really beginning to move. I can’t concentrate on anything though!
Ring around more bookshops in the morning – again nothing but friendly and positive responses. I preface my telephone calls with ‘Hello my name is Sarah Anderson and I used to have the Travel Bookshop in Notting Hill’ - it helps. Do the monthly accounts for the company – soon I must do the end of year ones too. Get several calls and e-mails from people who got the book today – obviously as yet unread – nevertheless positive. It really does look good which helps. Go to the biographer’s lunch in Connaught Street and am shameless about showing my book around – perhaps its not the ‘done thing’ – but it is only for this year!
Decide to release the books – the Mail’s contract was only until last Saturday – so the shops might as well start selling them. But how are people going to know about the book until I get something in the press? I take 5 huge grey mail bags to the post – over 150 books in all - to those who pre-ordered and also some complimentary copies. A welcome space in my sitting room! Go and see Gillon whose firm is going to be doing the foreign rights and take him 8 copies.
Spend most of Saturday writing about wilderness books for Guardian Unlimited – rather enjoyable although I would like to settle down and read in more detail. On Monday I send off my copy to the Guardian and I ring round more bookshops – again all very positive. Do a large e-mail to people in my address book encouraging them to buy the book. I’m actually not going to send it until the book is available in bookshops which should be soon now. The Mail’s embargo has actually come to an end but I’ve been advised to hang on for another couple of days or so. Do labels for Agency for Legal Deposits (5 copies) and British Library.
Do more ringing round of bookshops – they all seem very positive – however when I get the weekly figures from Central Books – very few shops have ordered this week. Disappointing. The Mail ring to say it won’t be in on Saturday or Monday – maybe Tuesday … I no longer expect it – perhaps a better frame of mind to be in. Try and change my broadband from BT to Sky, but I seem to be tied in to BT until next February. Incredibly annoying as much more expensive. Think about wilderness books for Guardian Unlimited.
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Rupert comes round in the morning and we do some filming outside the Electric Brasserie with all the attendant noise of Portobello Road. He thinks he might be able to make two films out of the session. Do some more ringing around of bookshops; the image of the book is now on the Gardners website. A live interview for Radio Cambridge is planned for April 29th. No news from the Mail …
