Talk to a printer and more or less decide on using them as they could do the job straight away – I just ask for some paper samples. It’s a lovely day so I decide to go and do some repping in the West End. Drop a proof copy off at Hatchards, take the information into Waterstones in Piccadilly where I am pleased to find out that it is already on their database. How did it get there? It means that every Waterstones will have it on their computers. Terrific. Then go to Heywood Hill where I drop off another proof copy and hope that they might include it in their late Spring catalogue. Finally hear from Faber (after FOUR months) giving permission to quote 4 lines from an Auden poem … At about 5 pm I get an e-mail from the last printer to quote and the price is almost half of any of the others. I try ringing to find out how soon they could do the job – but too late. I shall have to wait until tomorrow.