I release a book!!!

Or at least I’m having one released for me this summer by The Friday Project, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. But I did all the writing an’ stuff. If you missed yesterday’s unhinted-at announcement then the book’s website is here and it’s now available on pre-sale at Amazon here.

This is all clearly both exciting and scary and pretty well everything in between. But I’m hoping to get to grips with all that.

One question that a lot of people have asked so far is: is it the same as the blog? The answer being: no. It’s written in the same style, and covers the same sort of ground, and being a memoir it’s inevitable that longer-term readers (hullo!!!) will recognise some of the events. But it’s not a collection of blog posts, if that’s what you’re asking. I suppose it’s the back-story, if you like. Mixed with – erm – the front story.

Statistically, blogs have been demonstrated to become less interesting just as soon as their author finds a more glamorous outlet for their talents, before picking up again as the writer realises that online diaries are still quite fun after all (known as the ‘belle curve’ effect.) I will try not to let this happen, but do bear with me when I start trying to write amusing things about sales figures.

It is odd writing as me online, so I am retaining JonnyB, who has been my friend for years now. I suppose it is a bit like pop musician David Bowie. He adopts an assumed name and persona as Ziggy Stardust, in order to do lots of gigs and a record ‘in character’ – but when it is all done, he reverts back to his original real name, David Bowie. So there you go.

Thank you – everybody – for reading, commenting, linking and saying nice things over the years that this little Private Secret Diary has been on the web. I got my millionth visit a month or so ago, which I hadn’t really anticipated when I started writing little inconsequential snippets about nothing particular. It has been… gobsmacking, and the book wouldn’t have happened without you. It seriously wouldn’t. You are like – so to blame. Thank you also to all the people who twittered and linked and stuff yesterday. I got a bit overwhelmed. Booooooo.

Oh and the LTLP’s pregnant. But back to me. That’s all for now. Obviously it would be lovely if you all ordered eight copies and told all your friends to as well – but really I’m just happy with peoples’ good wishes.

No – who am I trying to kid? Sex and Bowls and Rock and Roll is available to pre-order from Amazon (UK), and internationally (with free postage) from The Book Depository.

I will stop going on about it now.