Me and Mickie James: Review Copies

I got a call from my agent two days ago. She was excited. “Have you seen them?"

I hadn’t. Because I was floundering in a sea of ignorance. I had done an eleven and a half hour shift at work and I think I’m exhausted anyway. I’ve edited one book in the last year, written a new one, work full-time, go to gym and so on. I’ve never felt like this.

“The proofs of Me and Mickie James are ready!!”

The proofs apparently look exactly like the real book, and are used to send out for review. So I’m going to see my book, much sooner than I thought I would. She told me they looked fantastic.


Then I realised I had a missed parcel delivery leaflet through my door - 2 parcels it said. So that must be it.

Suddenly I had energy.

I was told copies had been sent out to Nick Hornby, Roddy Doyle, Alex James, William Sutcliffe, Dan Rhodes. Who else did I want it to go to?

Of course, all those people probably get loads of books and it doesn’t mean they will read mine but still...

I’m proud even to be thought worthy.

“You don’t seem to lack confidence,” someone said at work.

It’s not a lack of confidence. It’s more complicated than that and I don’t know that I can explain it. You dream of certain things and you think those things are dreams.

I didn’t sleep that night, much. The next morning I made my own list. I put on people who would be my ‘dream quotation’ for my book. I sent it off.

Then I cycled off to the parcel collection office. Two parcels. One must be my book. I cycled home. Opened them up.

1. A double pack of Jia Zhang-Ke films I’d ordered from Amazon. (On Sunday I’d gone to see Still Life at the cinema - a brilliant film about the Three Gorges Dam.)

2. The latest copy of McSweeneys from America.

I was pleased to see these things but they weren’t my book.

McSweeneys this month is two pocket-sized books like they used to send out to troops in WWII and a larger hardbacked book, “Who Shall We Invade Next?” with an American flag on the front.

(On the inside flap of one of the smaller books apparently the Pentagon have said modern troops no longer have time to read so there are no funds allocated to send them books.)

Other good news. There may be article about me in trendy magazine. Note to self, trim nose hairs.

I have been invited to read / appear at the Lowdham Book Fair. Note to self, don’t get drunk on train on way.


Not that I would. But it’s always best to remind yourself of certain things just to keep your feet on the floor.

Currently listening to: new Elbow album (not exactly true but should arrive tomorrow and then I will be)


Currently reading: Submarine - Joe Dunthorne (I would have finished this but as I have been oscillating between high exhaustion and high excitement I haven’t had much time).