Nasty authors

Bluemoose had its first hostile email on Friday from a disgruntled author. The lady in question had sent in a submission of her work and asked if I wanted to see the full Mss. After reading the synopsis and first three chapters I didn't think it was for us, and politely emailed back and declined the offer of reading more. Towit all hell let lose and an invective not seen since the 'Derek and Clive,' tapes ensued. After she had vented several spleens, I emailed again and said that perhaps this wasn't the best way of getting her worked looked at and published. Hostility is not a great bargaining chip. She strained her creative sinew and replied that,' Bluemoose should just carry on publishing books by the likes of Jade Goody.' I didn't reply. I have better things to do, like the washing. Here is the issue. If you believe that your work is good enough to be published, don't be surprised that their maybe some people out there who don't like it. Show some humility. Listen to advice and move on. If you just want to rant, Blog. I do. But don't send nasty emails because if you do, the email Divils from this part of the world will scurry down the Ley lines and give you the worst tooth ache ever. And that's a promise. So think on.

Publish and be damned

Last night the Moose and Stephen Clayton, author of The art of being dead were at an event at Hebden Bridge Library called How to be published. Linda Green who is published by Headline Review was talking about Mainstream publishers, Mary Rochford talked about self publishing and Steve spoke passionately about being published by an Independent. It was a really interesting night with forthright and passionate views being expressed. There were over 40 people there who heard that writing is more about honing your craft than the divine spark of creativity. Of course ideas are essential but as a writer you need to develop the craft of writing.With the world of Celebriture taking over the publishing world it shows that there are now different avenues to get your work published.
In the organ of the booktrade , as they call themselves, The Bookseller had a profile of Bluemoose books and myself. http://www.thebookseller.com/in-depth/trade-profiles/84967-a-blue-streak.html There is a dreadful photograph of me staring mysteriously into the ether. I need to go to the gym, buy a thinning circus mirror or not get photographed ever again.Vanity. It'll be the death of me.

Books and Delis

The Moose and Steve Clayton are speaking at Hebden Bridge library tonight. Steve will be talking about his book, The art of being dead and how he managed to get published by an Independent and I will be ranting on about the trials and tribulations of getting new writers onto bookshelves, trying to get reviews and dealing with Waterstones et al. There will also be an author from Headline and a self published author. They will all be talking about their experiences of getting published. Mainstream. Independent. Self Published. There was a wonderful quote from Chris Blackwell, founder of Island records, who are celebrating their 50th anniversay this year. He said the big multi national record companies were more like supermarkets and Island and other indies could be compared with the delights of the delicatessan, which is a damned good answer. With the news that Transworld have doubled the advance to £2m to Paul O'Grady for the next installment, what chance of new writers getting their chance to deliver bold and original fiction to the reading public? Well, the answer is in Independents like Bluemoose, Tindal Street and Myrmidon.The time is right in this age of Corporate publishing blandness for Independent Publishers to shine. You may pay more for a Malt whisky but the taste will linger far longer than all the blended Scotches you can purchase from the supermarket. That's enough of the analogies, but you get my drift. The New York Times yesterday may have said the book is dead, but for the discerning reader there are enough independents out there publishing fantastic bold and original writing. When The art of being dead became the best selling non promotional book at Wats Leeds last year, you know that given some prominence, new writing from a debut novelist and published by an Independent does sell and can make a few quid for all concerned. Simples.

The Library and the Tortoise

I am off to Poynton today, to deliver 50 copies of 'Gardening with tortoises' by Pippa Aspy. David Bellamy loved this book and said it would grace his library for a long time. It looks at the trials and tribulations of Pippa as she moves her 25 tortoises, plants, two parrots and her naturist husband first to Spain and then France. One episode where nuns from the local convent pop round with some Dandelion leaves for the Indian Star tortoises and bump into Pip's naked husband Ed, pruning in the garden is comedy heaven. I have sold them to a lady called Anne Tortuga, who runs Cheshire Tortoises and they have their annual show in Woodford on Saturday 8th May. I have sold them on a sale or return basis. It could be the start of great things to come. An entree into the world of Tortoises nationwide and another way of selling this great book. Direct to the public cutting out the high street retailers and wholesalers whose demands for astronomic discounts make it difficult to turn a profit. I found Anne and the world of Cheshire tortoises through a leafelet I found in Central Library Manchester. Even with the the world of the tinternet, good honest snooping in a library found what could be a great outlet for one of Bluemooses publications.

Very Fishy

I was speaking to some Wats booksellers yesterday and as we all know we are experiencing unprecedented economic times. Redundancies have been announced at Wats, which with the new Hub making goods in a thing of the past was always a possibility. The staff I spoke were aware that this would happen, but what disappoints them most is the way the process has been handled. I have only got one side of it, but having experienced having to re-apply for my job at an Academic publisher 9 years ago and go through the interview process knowing you're fighting for your job and competing for one position against fellow work colleagues, is not a pleasant experience. Experienced staff have had little if no information, rotas have been changed to make it very difficult, and people who have worked for over twenty years are so disillusioned they don't know whether they want to work for the big W anymore. One senior bookseller said to me.'To keep my job I will have to lie to make sure one of my mates doesn't get the position. If I don't I will either lose my job or have my hours significantly reduced.' Way to go Mr Johnson.
All this from a book company who, two years ago thought the only way out of the bookselling mire, was to introduce Fish Tanks into every store. Visionary.

The View From Here

The Moose will be guesting, at some point in the future, on the literary online magazine The View From Here. www.viewfromheremagazine.com Stephen Clayton will also be doing an interview, talking about his book, The art of being dead and his previous life as a 'rock and roll god,' not my words but those of Julian Cope. If the Moose manages to escape the ravages of the swine flu pandemic that is sweeping 10 Downing street , I will be speaking at an event at Hebden Bridge library this Friday 8th May about Independent publishing. Steve will be talking about being published by an independent publisher, there will also be an author discussing her experience of being published by a mainstream publisher and a writer who is self published. It should be interesting. So,busy, busy. Off to the station now, as Heth, my wife, is off to the capital with work. Lots of meetings and superior Lattes. Supposedly. So I'm looking after my two teenage boys this week. We will be fine. I think. If not, I will be asking for online advice. All parents out there, be ready, I may need your help. Off to Manchester to see how the redundancies have affected friends at Waterstones. The new political mantra from Wats HQ is Hubbanomics. Nothing to do with that Tom Cruise chappy, you know the one, jumps up and down on couches and is believed to a third rate Thetan, the Sleb Scientologist, and everything to do with the new HUB that is being unveiled in Burton on Trent to cure all Wats distribution and selling ills. I will be going along with tea and buns but am not sure that will be enough. Tragic.

Bookless in Brid

I survived the trip to Bridlington and managed not to get buried, which is always a plus. Spent hours skimming stones into the North sea with Spike whose enthusiasm was unbounded. We all had fish and chips, an ice cream and weren't disappointed at the wholeasale tat that was on show. Lollipops in the shape of viagra infused penises were the confection of choice. We tried to smuggle one back into Hebden but it was confiscated by the border police in contravention to an arcane penile confectionary law dating back to 1615 when an outbreak of erect penises made from dough started a riot in the Calder Valley. Seven Methodists were killed.
The only bookshop was a publisher's clearance shop, but then with such other temptations who would possibly want to read a book?

Sandcastles in the sun

We're taking our two year old godson, Spike, to the seaside to build sandcastles and then demolish them. It's what you do on a Bank Holiday Sunday. We're heading off now to beat the seaside hordes. The Moose may even be buried. I'll let you know tomorrow if I survive.

Hubbanomics

Waterstones report a drop in sales and also announce that they are to make 650 people redundant. Now I'm no retail guru but there is one thing I wouldn't be doing and that is try to comptete with the supremarkets and Amazon on price. So don't bother. So what would I do? Do something different. Provide the customer with a deeper range, give back the autonomy you've taken away from the managers and let them sell to their customers. They know their audience. Competing on price alone will not work. Amazon and Tesco will gobble you up. Waterstones seem totally obsessed with market share. And the Hub is not the answer. Sub contracting distribution to a company that specialises in car parts is interesting. Waterstones dominates high street bookselling. Use that strength. Dare to be different and you may survive. If you follow the economics of the Hub you may just disappear into your own black hole.

Poetic Dead End

Andrew Motion takes off the Poet Laureate's cap today and passes it on to Carol Ann Duffy. Probably. She will be the first female poet laureate. Apart from the historical and traditional aspect of this post, I don't know what it adds to the world of poetry. Banging out the odd poem for Chazzas birthday, or when Queenie gives out a few pence of a Maunday Thursday doesn't really constitute a job. Now I know how hard it is for poets to get their work out there, so anything that helps them with their profile is a good thing. Although, speaking to my two teenage sons poetry has very little relevance to them. They listen to rappers like Captain Hot Knives. Popular music has taken over as the poetry for the masses and you can download it for free. Whoever becomes the new poet laureate has a lot to do if poetry isn't to become completely sidelined as some form of freeform jazz has in the musical world. Irrelevant, self conscious and self congratulatory.