Life Out of Pyjamas

Well, perhaps unsurprisingly, it’s turning into a busy spring. Which means I am having to spend distressingly long periods of time actually dressed in real clothes and not loafing in ratty – but oh, so comfortable – attire. On reflection, sadly many of my friends might not be able to tell the difference.

I don’t really like clothes shopping; even without Nos.1 and 2 daughters in tow I find it a terrible faff - and I have lived through communal changing rooms, which might explain a lot. But this week I helped out at a ‘Boden’ party. For those who have never heard of this before, the fashion retailers Boden will send racks and racks of their latest lines and a bulk email telling their past customers where they can feel the quality at a local party and not just look in the catalogue. One gets a commission on any sale, which in our case is given to our local school. I fancied some new trousers, good cause and all that. Unfortunately, I was not blessed with a womanly rear (most of my childhood was spent being asked to get off someone’s lap as my bony bum was cutting off their circulation) and so for me if it fits the waist it’ll be bagging lower down and Boden, like most, irritatingly cut for the 99% that have a posterior. But I did splurge on two tops. One is out of stock, the other unavailable for 9 weeks. I can pick ‘em. 

The best thing about the Boden party is that I am always on teas, cakes and washing up; where I can give full vent to long abandoned W I fantasies. Next time I may even wear a pinny and take some knitting. I also crochet and embroider, get me! Last week I made a cat’s tail for No.1’s ballet show – Kirstie Allsop would be so proud.

There will be more costumes soon. No.1’s class is presenting ‘Dick Whittington’ and I am turning up to occasionally give a little light direction. No.1 is playing the title role, which came as a bit of a surprise as I was not holding a gun to her teacher’s head when it was cast. I would like to think it’s the natural talent showing through, however I put it down more to the fact that No.1 is virtually embarrassment proof, unlike her mother, and after hearing that ‘Dick’ has to get married to ‘Alice’, she was the only one who volunteered for the job. Bless her heart; she’s doing me proud, as are they all. Fingers crossed for the perf.

Fingers also crossed for Harry’s biography. It is now back from the printers and astoundingly on the shelf (there is one embarrassing typo – if you spot it you get a prize, that of being smug). More astoundingly it will soon be serialised in the Daily Mail. It will be appearing in the form of adapted excerpts, which should make for interesting reading – for you and me both.

If that wasn’t enough ‘One Cool Cat’ is being featured in this month’s Junior Magazine. If things go on like this I may have to stop spouting and start tweeting. Though I don’t think I could cope with reaffirming my existence on an hourly basis, it’s bad enough getting dressed.

You know, I really should think about changing the title of this blog. Possible forthcoming publicity has reminded me of a favoured journalists’ question. “What three words describe you?”

 “Lives in Pyjamas”

Sorted!

Toodle pip, as we say in the WI…

Happy Easter!

My gast has been flabbered.

A few days ago the phone went. The Better Half answered, screamed and rushed for the remote. Jumping from foot to foot, while making strangled “ack ack” sounds, he flicked through the channels leaving me in stunned silence as to what earth shattering event could be taking place. So, you can imagine my confusion when the TV finally rested on the CBeebies channel. What bomb could they possibly be dropping to cause such an outburst?

Then, a nanosecond before my jaw hit the floor, I got it. The presenter was just finishing up reading ‘Dragon’s Dinner’.

I had no idea it was going to be on – I would have been paused hawk like over the record button had I known. Nor did the publishers, who are sending missives to Auntie Beeb to get a copy as we speak.

Now, I’ve been on telly enough to not hide behind the sofa anymore but this was different. This was the book what I wrote, up there on CBeebies – if it can make it there…

This feeling of wonderment tinged, if I’m honest, with a side order of smugness lasted until yesterday morning when it was topped by the post arriving.

Egmont have sent the mock up of my next picture book ‘One Cool Cat’. This is a ‘floppy’ version with finalised layout and illustrations that will become the blueprint for the hardback edition. It is also a version to take to Book Fairs and other publishing houses in the hopes of securing foreign deals.

There has been much excitement from Egmont on the style of the cover, and now I see why. It is most unusual, and very, very cool. David Roberts, the illustrator, was worth the wait. He has created a matt black cover with the cool white cat lounging between the gloss black words of the title. It would not look out of place in Darth Vader’s Book of Bedtime Stories. Throughout the illustrations David has managed to out do my imagination. I absolutely love it.

You can see some of David’s illustrations on my shiny new website, the launch of which was another first this week– remember to wipe your feet on the way in the builders have only just left.

Such an outstanding purple patch makes me wonder what’s around the corner waiting to balance it out. To keep things on an even keel, as soon as British Summertime officially hove into view I developed a chest infection and threw my back out. When I finish typing this and stand up, the 90 degree angle between torso and thighs will be maintained. But on this particularly Good Friday, as I crawl towards the Benylin, I’ll still be smiling.