The Brits 2010

Flew down to London and got a taxi to the Tower Bridge Hotel. After a multimedia presentation, I sauntered over the bridge and explored. There was a champagne reception in the hotel before we set off on a river boat to the Brit Awards. More Champs and piano music, we sailed past Westminster and on to the venue. It was very strange to meeting people like Lindsay Lohan and various soap stars etc. George Best's son, Calum, was a delight. The event itself was well run and the food exceptionally good. Mingled until a the small hours and then returned to the hotel by taxi to sleep for a few hours before getting up at 6am to participate in 'The Apprentice'. Sold flowers in Portobello Rd and negotiated prices in Selfridges and Harrods etc. Returned to then get kitted out again and go out in stretch limo to a secret location for another dinner. Now typing this, having slipped away to bed and the much more normal prospect of spreadsheets, emails and doing a few edits. Back home to Glasgow tomorrow, thank God.

The Beginning...

In the beginning, there was a small boy who sat under a holly tree and read books. That was me, 40 years ago. Happiest having adventures in other worlds, as if this one wasn't exciting enough. Things have moved on a tad. After working in wildlife parks, studying entomology, playing rock music and doing my time in industry (still doing some of the aforementioned), I wrote my first book. That was the easy bit. About 5 months of fun and getting nagged by my eldest son to make it more scary, I thumped the 336 pages onto my desk and sat back with smug smile of satisfaction. I pondered on how I might best spend the first big advance and listed the charities I might support before looking at the process of getting a deal. You mean Boomsbury weren't going to ring my doorbell, out of the blue? I peered over the hedge for any paparazzi then got to work. Agents, letters, postage, rejections... Agents all too busy. Well, yes. But some did write encouraging comments and add helpful hints to their standard letters. It was a start. I re-examined my text and took on board what they said. 1. Less PoVs. What? - Point of Views. Keep it in one or two character's view point. Okay... 2. Less adverbs, they weaken sentences... Oh, fine, I'll ease back on them. Etc... etc... All part of the learning experience...
Part 2. next...