Tortology

I have just been speaking to the Cheshire tortoise society, they are having their annual show in Woodford. I picked up a flyer at Central Library in Manchester and emailed them. Their secretary Anne, had already read 'Gardening with tortoises,' by Pip Aspy, one of our backlist titles, her daughter had given it to her for christmas. She loved it. We're now just sorting out the finer details, but they'll be taking what David Bellamy said, 'was one of his books of the year.' Being a small publisher you have to find different markets to the traditional high street stores. It takes a bit of leg work, is just as rewarding and we make a bit more money. We don't have to set up accounts with wholesalers on the South Coast to deal with a bookshop ten miles away. We also don't have to deal with a distribution 'Hub,' which as far as we're concerned could be orbiting Jupiter as for the effect it has on us.
I'm off to London for the bookfair on Tuesday to be interviewed by The Bookseller and then I'm seeing a foreign rights agent to talk about Steve Clayton's book 'The art of being dead. Word has just reached me that a copy has been put into the hands of the rock and roll god, Johnny Marr, he of The Smiths, now playing with The Cribs. Apparently he now lives in Portland Oregan. I'll let you know what he thinks. If he doesn't say it's the best thing he's ever read, his vinyl will be despatched forthwith to the dustbin. Probably not.