An Apology

Simon;

My promises to readers of the blog from now on

• I will write at least 3 times a week
• I will still refrain from puting music on the blog
• I will upload photos of the shop
• I will keep it relevent
• I may get angry sometimes
• I will still teel you everything that's going on

I write this as I've realised it's been a very long time since i last posted. There's so much to talk about....

1. The Friday Project

It's all a bit sad really. And as it was based so much on the internet, we've seen some very angry people talking very angrily about it. I feel very sorry for everyone who got burned. Until we can hear the whole story, it's difficult to point fingers, but given the choice between being an employee at TFP and an author taken on by TFP, I think i'd rather be the former.

2. We have a new bookshop openig soon to cheer and celebrate.

No, not those clever chaps Crockatt and Powell, who should support a proper football team frankly, but Inkspot and Silverleaf a shiny bookshop in Scotland (North London) is going through the 'last few days before we open' feeling right now. Good luck to them.

3. Alright, Crockatt and Powell 2 have a date for opening their shop in the slums of Fulham. May 9th, which coincidentally is exactly 10 years to the day since Dana International the male/female Israeli singer won the Eurovision song contest, and also we will have to miss Billy Joel's 59th birthday party.

4. I went to the London Book Fair for the first time ever, which for those of you who don't know is a Fair in London which specialises in books. I had a red badge, which meant I was a retailer, and similar to the red sqirrel was rare indeed. I bumped into lots of old friends and also I met Vanessa, who we call Fidra Blog. She was very lovely, and thankfully recognised me by my scruffy hat. I was a bit confused because all the other fairs i've ever been to have had carousels and candyfloss, but this one had £5 sarnies and people trying to give me copies of the Qur'an.

5. Dave Gorman (well not him, but those important people who look after him) got my goat this week. I think he's brilliant and love his books, but last year, before the world famous Big Green Bookshop opened, I contacted his publishers and they suggested that he could come to the shop to talk about his book about travelling across the states from coast to coast just visiting INDEPENDENT outlets. It seemed ideal for a little indie bookshop like ours. In fact, I suggested that Dave's bookshop tour should be only Indie bookshops (what a great twist!). Anyway, as it took longer to open the bookshop than anyone had hoped, I contacted the Dave team in February to let them know when we were likely to open and to say we were still up for it. 'Oh no, it's all sorted now' I was told 'he's fully booked up'. And then I look at his schedule..... as the French would say 'Ou est les Independents?' . So, (sorry this is a rambling story) he was on 'Something For The Weekend' last Sunday, (that TV thing with Tim 'Soccer AM' Lovejoy), and Katie and I decided to send him a question on the programme that went something like 'Dave, why don't you visit more Independent bookshops on your book tour, and come and visit mine in North London'. Well we didn't think they'd read it out, but, by jiminy they did! He was very good, and said that he had visited indies, but he also went to the chains, and that was the way it was. I guess that's the last time we'll be working with the publicity department at Ebury then.

6. Sian Berry's coming to the shop on Friday! What fun is that.

There's more, but i'm tired. I will blog again very soon...