'Excuse Me Sir'

So last night I waited breathlessly in the travel section of Borders, Oxford Street, in anticipation of what was ahead. At 7.00pm I began my first ever reading. Thankfully there were people there to listen. Six of them! And I only knew five! Thanks to Emily for dragging along her work colleague, Louise. Before I reached the end of the first paragraph a guy in a Borders t-shirt walked up to us and began telling me that what I was doing was in fact "not allowed without prior consent from the manager". I apologised, asked to speak to the manager, was told he/she wasn't in and so we left. 

We made our way to a bar on New Oxford Street where I started my reading again. This time I wasn't asked to leave and it went pretty well. I stuttered and stumbled a few times but after a few Peroni's that was to be expected.

So, because a few people probably thought this was a bit of a joke and I was just making a load of random people meet in the travel section of a bookshop, I am going to do it again. I'm not sure where or when yet but initial thoughts point to a park - maybe followed by a game of flicket (cricket with a flip-flop).

Thanks to the six who came last night. I would have felt very embarrassed doing a reading to no one.

Undercover Book Readings

I was talking to my good friend Emily the other night. (She has just moved to London and is struggling a bit to acclimatise to the hustle and bustle of the big city so I just want to take this opportunity to say hi to her. 'Hi'. She'll feel much better now). So anyway, we were talking about 'Is This You?' the book, amongst other things. Things that I don't really need to share with you because they would bore you. 

Emily said, 'Why don't you do some readings?'. I said, 'Don't be stupid'. She said, 'Okay. I'm going to find the Ladies room.'

On my way home though I began to think about what she had said. There was nothing illegal about doing readings. There wasn't a rule to say you have to have your book published to do readings. So, I thought, why don't I do one?

And that is exactly what I am going to do. I am going to read from my book. To the masses. Or anyone who happens to turn up really. I'm going to try it out next Tuesday (1st July).

Meet me @ 7.00pm in Borders, Oxford Street. I'll be in the travel section, I think it's the second floor but check the signs. I'll read a bit of the book and then we can go to the pub. I have absolutely no idea what will happen, we might get asked to leave. If we are then please do exactly that. I don't want to start a riot. If it goes well then maybe I'll do some more. I can't promise I am going to visit the USA or Australia though, so for those of you who have been following my quest from far off places I am sorry. I may well look into doing a webcast for you though, so watch this space.