Thursday 20 September 2007

Ra Jailhouse Now!

Thursday 4:30 p.m.
Bought the Times today before going to Bellshill. So there's this article about Cherie Blair's memoirs and how they're going to Little Brown. An Ursula Mackenzie, it seems, it now the "chief executive and publisher" of Little Brown. What? I had a literary agent when I was twenty eight and with this wonderful, wonderful person (!) I conspired to write Bomber. She said write a political thriller, have a read at Scotch on the Rocks by Douglas Hurd (a truly awful book!). So I went and wrote Bomber. And now she's in charge of Little Brown. I contacted that man of great taste and perspicacity, Adrian Weston, about this and he's going to hustle her. Here come the Special Branch!

I drank some cough mixture to help me sleep on the overnight train to London and there was not a soul in the carriage except me, and that was creepy. She bought me lunch. She said the Guinness was free. I had five pints, or six. As we were parting on the pavement, she said: "You Scotsmen can really show us how to drink!" I offered her a wee bit of paki black to take away. I was chaining smoking one skinners there and back. She said no thanks. That's what we should tell our children. Just say no. Just say no and you end up running the world. Say yes and you end up with twenty quid to do you till pay day!

The clock on the platform today at Bellshill station said it was four o clock. It was two o clock. The school teachers have taken over the world! We listened to side three of the Dhammapada CD. Ra bliss went body-less for a bit. What a fortunate creature I am, I am! What a fortunate creature I am!

10:30 p.m.
Got an email from Adrian Weston saying that Ursula Mackenzie told him to send the book in. If they don't want it, that's okay. Getting someone to read it is the hard bit!

I haven't had a drink or any cannybliss yogurt for five days. I'm glad I didn't buy The Scotsman this morning!

6 comments:

Lee Ann said...

I hope your book does well!
Sounds like a long lonely train ride.
I have never ridden a train (except at the zoo and that is not a real train). I would love to travel somewhere at least once by train.
Have a wonderful weekend!
~xo
Lee Ann

Hotboy said...

Lee Ann: Always nice to hear from you! You've never travelled in a train!!?? What? It's by far the best way to travel. It really is! I'd like to do Amtrak from New York to San Franscisco. Never been on a train! Dearie. Mind you, I've never rode a horse or fired a gun, so what do I know? Have a nice weekend! Hotboy

Lee Ann said...

I think everyone should try riding a horse. They are such powerful animals, it is like nothing else! I wish I were better at it, but I am a little nervouse around them.
Thank you for the happy birthday wish!
Hope your weekend is going great!

rob said...

"It was two o clock" - HAVE YOU GOT A WATCH NOW? DEARIE DEARIE ME!

Sorry about the capitals but I can't be bothered fixing them, but now I've wasted more time on explaining myself. Never explain yourself. That's the one lesson I never learned.

LA - never been on a train! I rode a horse once, or at least I was on it while it ran around and tried to throw me. I promised God if he saved me I'd never do it again.

ion said...

Loved the story of your previous meeting with Ursula- obviously a woman of taste and perspicacity. I need something to read on the plane and wish I could buy a copy of Bomber. It would put me in the right mood. Horses are almost as scary as cows.

Hotboy said...

Lee Ann: I will ride a horse one day. And then I'll shout out loud: I'm John Wayne! Hotboy
Albert? Of course, I don't own a watch! It was really about 2:25 p.m. since I check the time at my auld maw's. Hotboy
Ion: I wish you could buy a copy of Bomber too!! Anyone with an expense account is quite welcome to take me out drinking! Hotboy