An update for June

I admit; this is not really a blog. It's a not-very-faithful-copy of my e-newsletter, but it's all I have time for at present. Anyway, I come with good news... great news: the release of the Tail of the Blue Bird mass market paperback in the UK, release of the Dutch translation, release of the German translation, availability of SIGNED copies in Ghana and the imminent release of a US edition (all in Book News below). I also have three really cool events coming up - the first in relation to the Michael Marks award that I've been shortlisted for, the others with the fabulous Booktrust and Writers Centre Norwich. The details for those are just below in the events section.

 

events

Wednesday, June 16, 2010: Michael Marks Readings and Award Ceremony - I've been shortlisted for this cool award for my pamphlet ballast: a remix and the event is being held at the British Library's Conference Centre - It starts at 6.30pm (I'll be reading around from 7.00pm) and costs  £6 (£4 concessions) and tickets can be bought online from the British Library website or via telephone on 01937 546 546. I have one complimentary ticket to give away on a first-e-mail-first-served basis :) Thursday, June 17, 2010: Whose Muse is it Anyway? - I'm hosting this fantastic poetic take on 'Whose Line is it Anyway?' at the Free Word Centre in Farringdon: The blurb goes - an evening of funny improvisational performance poetry, hosted by former Booktrust writer in residence Nii Ayikwei Parkes featuring Dizraeli, Laura Dockrill, Doc Brown and Luke Wright. It starts at 7pm and it's only £5 to come! Click here for more details and to buy your ticket Monday, June 21, 2010: Summer Reads (Norwich) - the Writers Centre in Norwich has included Tail of the Blue Bird in their Summer Reads programme (more here) in which six books have been chosen as Summer Reads Book Club books. There is even a book club session in August for Tail of the Blue Bird, but before that I will be reading at a live event with Naomi Alderman and Mick Jackson. It starts at 6.30pm at the world famous Norfolk and Norwich Milliennium Library and it's ONLY £2 on the door: full details and tickets online. Follow Writers Centre Norwich on Facebook or Twitter.

Book News

Tail of the Blue Bird: The UK mass market paperback is out and on shelves right now generally ranging from £5.99 on amazon and Foyles to the full £7.99 on waterstones (although they have free postage!). The lowest price, surprisingly, is £5.59 at WHSmiths!   If you're in Ghana, you can get signed copies of the mass market paperback exclusively at SyTris Books on Spintex Road for just GHC15. They also have copies of the trade paperback at GHC25.   Dutch: The Dutch release of the book hits shelves this week in the Netherlands (you can see it on the publisher's website). I have one free copy to give to a Dutch speaker - drop me an e-mail and I'll get it to you!   German: The German release of the book (published by a Swiss publisher) also hits the shelves in a week and can be seen on the publisher's website. I don't have any free copies yet, but look out!   In the USA: A version of 'Tail of the Blue Bird' is set for release in the USA in September (full details to come) so if you know of anyone who would like to review it for a local paper etc. please put them in touch with me now and I will arrange for them to get copies by mid-July so we can drum up some HEAT for the long-awaited US release!