Back from Lundy (again)

I got back from another week on beautiful Lundy on Sunday 1st April (April Fool's Day), and what a wonderful week it was, as usual. It was the first sailing of the year. I wondered as the day approached, whether we would be sailing at all, or going by helicopter instead, as the weather seemed to be worsening, with the winds getting stronger and stronger. As it turned out, the day dawned bright and clear, with seas as a calm as a mill pond, and it was one of the smoothest sailings I have ever had. As the week progressed, the winds returned, until we got to last Friday and a gale warning for the island, which meant that, you guessed it, we ended up being helicoptered off all the way to Hartland, near the Cornish border. That was exciting then. I have been on the helicopter several times before, so it was nothing new in some ways, but it was the first time I have had to be coptered off when it should have been the boat.

I am back now and slowly getting back to normality. Paul is still embroiled in the court case re Graham Cook, who is proprieter of a self publishing company called Writersworld. The more Paul tells me about this man the more I am astonished by his business misdealings, and the more grateful I am that I had the foresight to walk in the other directon, when I sniffed a rat coming from his website.

While I was away, Richard had a call from from a television company called Films of Record, who are based in London, and have been commissioned by ITV to do a series called Web Lives. One of the programmes will be on print on demand, and that is how they found Richard, as his company is called Authors OnLine Ltd. Richard referred them to Paul. who has given them details of a dozen or so authors that he works with, myself included. Tom will check out all our websites and be in touch with those that he likes the sound of best. Fingers crossed that one of them might be me.

Paul tells me that ITV are interested in covering the Foyles book signing, which is still going ahead, although there is no confirmed date as yet. All I do know is that it is likely to be on a Saturday and some time before the middle of May. I had better get cracking on that new book cover ...

Human Nature

Nothing much has happened really this week - I have been more concerned in fact with looking for a 'real' job than with selling books, since there is now a pressing need for me to be earning money. I got some from the house sale, but it is an expensive process moving house and getting things sorted, so the money is rapidly being spent on curtains, etc, etc, etc.

Have just spoken though to Paul, and he assures me that I have not been forgotten. He is still embroiled in dealing with the case against Writersworld and Graham Cook. Best not to say too much, as I don't want to be the next one to be sued, apparently Cook does have a habit of doing this. They are so fed up with him in the States apparently that he now has to pay something like $50,000 before they will even hear his case ! His own fault really from what I gather, and just blooming glad that I had the good sense to sniff a rat and walk the other way when I looked at his website....

Anyway, the Foyles book signing looks like it will definately be going ahead - Paul says probably towards the end of April - 3rd or 4th week and probably on a Saturday too, which will be better for me, in case I do get a job ! The other thing I have done is visit the local New Age shop and talk to them about renting a room there to do a talk and maybe sell some books. It is only £5 an hour and they are well known around the area, with their own mailing list and website, so the talk would be well publicised. Back to the diary then to work out some dates....

Paul has been busy on my behalf

Have just got off the phone from a long conversation with Paul Ricks (Richard's publicist) who helps to promote AOL's authors. He has not been able to do much lately because he is embroiled in a rather complicated court case, where he is acting as a coordinator to help lots of disgruntled people. The case is nothing to do with AOL I hasten to add, although Richard is one of many who is being sued by this rather strange and very nasty character, a man named Graham Cook, who runs a self publishing company named Writers World. It is a long and convulated story, but basically Cook has been reported to DTI and Office of Fair Trading both here and in the US for s string of offences (well over 100 I believe), copyright infringement, taking people's money and not publishing their books etc, etc, etc. The list is endless. The internet is full of references to him if you tap in his name. A thoroughly unsavoury character by all accounts, who needs to be put a stop to once and for all.

Anyway, other than that, Paul has a friiend of his, whose name I can't now remember, reviewing the book at the moment to go in a small magazine that he publishes in London. He will send me a copy once the review is published. He will also ring Borders Head Office to try and drum up some more publicity for me, and organise talks, get them to order books etc to go into some of their other local stores - Brighton, Croydon and Wimbledon were mentioned. The other thing is that it looks like the Foyles multiple book signing is going ahead sometime in April - in the Charing Cross Road store - one of the biggest in London, and my name is definately on the list ! He will let me know then exactly when it will be, so I can pencil it into my bulging diary.

I have also just tried to ring Cygnus to jolly them up a bit and see if they are any closer to making a decision re my book, but Jackie the lady who deals with it is off until Monday (I forgot she only works part time). I am now about to find out about local newspapers in the Horsham area to see if I can drum up some free publictity for my talk there in less than 2 weeks now.