A definite article

Hot on the heels of my radio debut, my first online interview is now available to read in issue 2 of arts magazine The Kaje. I was interviewed by Jason Newton a few weeks ago, and the article is accompanied by a moody picture taken by photographer David Tett in a back street near my office one lunchtime. Oh, it’s all glamour being a published author, believe me.

One small niggle about the article, though: the book is referred to throughout as ‘The First Time I Met The Blues’. Buddy Guy didn’t start his title with a definite article, so I didn’t either. Indeed, to my way of thinking, it sounds rather prosaic with an initial ‘the’.

Moreover, with my journalist’s hat on, I might comment that the first principle of good sub-editing is to checking the facts, and that this kind of slackness is simply further proof that the world is going to hell in a handbasket. I might, but on this occasion I won’t.

In the hot seat

I did my first proper ‘press’ interview today, for a new online arts and culture magazine called The Kaje. It wasn’t remotely stressful, since (there’s no point denying it) I enjoy talking about myself and my writing. Answering questions about my other books did remind me that at some point soon, I’m going to have to get back to my new novel, which I started in the autumn and then put on hold while I set about publishing, and then publicising, First Time I Met The Blues.

Still, the effort is paying off in various small ways. MyWatfordNews, a local free magazine, is going to run a piece about the book next month, and I’ve also been asked to write a first-person piece for Blues In Britain magazine. It all helps.