Hello you lovely lot,
Okay, here is the dish.
The CULL special edition is going to be with you, the supporters, before Dec 2018 and the trade version out into the shops for around January 2019.
I know, I know…it is a bit longer than I had anticipated too BUT Unbound have been really clear about the need to ensure the novel smacks down with the ultimate impact and there are splodges of time we need to avoid – i.e. autumn and celebrity Xmas book inundation. We are in copyediting mode now and will be thinking of cover design soon which is all most exciting and will be a distraction from the long wait.
In other news – we have another Creative Writing Laboratory kicking off on November 2nd for six weeks in Corsham. This lines up nicely with National Novel Writing Month the annual tortu…I mean annual inspirational event that sees thousands of writers around the world attempting to keep up a rigorous 1600 daily word count all through November all aspiring to slough off the first skin of a novel. If you fancy a writing challenge that has the potential to set you up with the bones of a book here is the link to sign up!
And yes, I am still dog-less and still missing Grace so much it is sometimes hard to breathe but worry not as my new undergraduate students and the imminent CW Lab is keeping me upbeat and alert! In fact, I found a poem I wrote a while ago in response to an annoying advert from the milk marketing people (featuring milk ‘moustaches’ on various celebs.) Given we are in the run-up to Halloween, I thought you might enjoy it!

My Dad’s comedy apron. (It was soon banished to a hidden cupboard much to his chagrin.)
Got MILK?
Got Milk?
Only blood and water
Plasma and piss
But boiling and bubbling
and coiling and spluttering
Souped up gizmo
I should coco
Whole new mojo
Milk?
Give it to the babies
And Witches’ tit me,
Shakespeare!