Littering

As the blog doesn't seem to be attracting visitors and joining several traffic-exchanges and surfing till I'm blue in the face hasn't helped I've devised a new method of underground advertising for my novel "Martha's Vineyard" visit the link at http://lulu.com/content/607829

I'm calling it "littering". I've produced a small leaflet called "A bookmark for you" with a life affirming message on one side and an advert for the book on the back and anytime I'm in a book shop I simply slide one into the pages of novels I think might appeal to the people I think my novel will appeal to. It is going to take me a long time and it's hard trying not to look suspicious but don't be surprised if you are ever in Waterstones or Borders or W.H.Smiths and a 1/4 size piece of A4, like this falls out of a book you've picked up.

Back from the Fringe

Back from Edinburgh where despite, sometimes, atrocious weather we had a splendid time. Enjoyed it so much we'll be going back up there this week. 17 shows in five days, Some amazing comedy, the intelligent, political, Steve Hughes, the provocative Reginal D. Hunter, the hilarious Jason Byrne, the comic genius of Stewart Lee, the dynamic and educational Bruce Fummey as well as some great plays and events. Spent a lot of time there pondering my strategy for promoting the novel and decided that the blog, while enjoyable, isn't attracting an audience who are interested in the book. New strategies are clearly required. I have had some ideas though so watch this space!

Holidays

Off to the Edinburgh fringe festival for a few nights tomorrow and so Blog will go quiet unless I can find an Internet cafe, which I suppose is a possibility. The fringe isn't really a holiday it's more like being swirled around in a giant, cultural washing machine. Edinburgh, during the fringe is the most exciting place I've ever been. It's full to the brim of crazy, creative and energetic people all desperate for you to see their show or watch their act. It doesn't really start until Sunday but we are going up early this year to catch some of the pre-shows.
A little competition we enjoy, while there is "Spotting the famous people", I had a spectacular win last year with a sighting of Ronnie Corbett but it's great to be in the queue for tickets behind "someone off the telly" or overhearing a well-known, familiar BBC Radio Four voice talking on their mobile at the table next door to you in a bar. It's really strange seeing people who are so famous in the street. You almost feel obliged to speak to them because they are so familiar to you having been in your living-room so often but of course they have no idea who you are 'cause they can't see you from inside the telly.
Looking forward to lots of shows but also having Cappucino and a brie and red-onion marmalade bagel in Elephants and Bagels, the coffee shop where now famous J.K. Rowling allegedly wrote "Harry Potter" . Of course this year I'm entitled to call myself a novelist having finished my own novel, Martha's Vineyard, ( buy or download it from www.lulu.com/content/607829 ) a couple of months after returning from the Edinburgh fringe last year. That was the easy bit, marketing it and getting an agent and publisher is proving to be the hard bit, I guess. Back next week, bye for now.