Waterstones put in their core stock order – books are being sent to 150 of their shops – mostly one copy to each – but it’s a beginning. Do a phone interview with Three Counties Radio film programme – although inevitably they ask about the film – I am actually able to talk about the … Read more
Halfway to Venus sounds like a Science Fiction novel… but when the Venus in question is of the de Milo variety, things become clear. I don’t know how to introduce this non-fiction book, as… well, it is about living with one arm, and the history of amputation in literature and reality. But Sarah Anderson, the … Read more
Another good review in the Daily Mail by Kate Chisholm – its not on the Mail website though – so can’t put it on-line. No other reviews over weekend – although keep checking online. My Amazon sales ranking fluctuate but go up to 2290 at one point and then Amazon are out of stock… Infuriating. … Read more
Review by Byron Rogers in the Spectator – not sure what it’ll do for my reputation as he starts it off by saying I threw a kettle at him … (it’s true – I did!) – but the review is very flattering.Do live interview with Radio Manchester and recorded interview with Radio Jersey – both … Read more
On Bank Holiday Monday go and do some super-market shopping for the launch. Catch up on e-mails etc. On Tuesday a friend helps me to take the books and soft drinks to John Murrays in Albemarle Street where the launch kicks off at 6.30pm. It goes really well I think – a great turnout of … Read more
I must declare an interest at the outset. Thirty or so years ago I went out, or walked out (or whatever the phrase is), with the author, until, that is, the night when, for reasons I have never been able to establish, she hit me over the head with a stainless-steel electric kettle. You may … Read more
‘Me and My travels’ appears on the back page of the Escape section of the Observer. I do a telephone interview with Claire Saul for My Weekly – which apparently has a circulation of 500,000. Write to Bookforce who have belatedly sent me an invoice for my proof copies. Instead of a 2-3 day turn-around … Read more
Sarah Anderson had what was perhaps the epitome of the “stiff-upper-lip” childhood, says Cassandra Jardine in The Daily Telegraph. The owner of London’s Travel Bookshop and her siblings saw their parents for just half an hour a day, and were otherwise brought up by nannies who frowned on any show of emotion. Aged nine, the … Read more
The books are starting to arrive in the bookshops – Sarah Austin from the Kilburn Bookshop asks me to go and sign their copies which I do willingly. Gardners send me an order which I redirect towards Central and My Travel Companion arrives at Central. I get a text from my sister to say that … Read more
I took a copy of the book round to Colin Thubron – his quote on the front has made a lot of difference. Do a telephone interview with the Observer (there should be something in the Escape part of the paper this Sunday). They need a colour photograph – luckily I remembered I had had … Read more