Card and Paper and Toner and Thread and Glue

Monday 30th July 2018

Today was like a lazy Sunday: Jenni was here; we talked a bit about books, gigs and the Edinburgh Fringe – but basically a day off to spend time together as we’ll not see each other for about twelve days…The new Julia Eff zines arrived today. Julia sent a twitter message to say thanks for raving about them. ‘Tear the Petals Off Of You’ is very shocking indeed. It documents abusive relationships and explores a fan’s feelings of betrayal upon learning that one of their favourite musicians is a predatory, exploitative, manipulative, sexually abusive monster. After reading the zine this evening I checked out the Alternative Press article about the situation, testimonies of victims on Daily Beast, and watched a video confessional posted by someone who spent nine years under the spell of the perpetrator. Having read all of that, I understand why Julia wants BDSM rock star’s head on a spike. On a lighter note, I got word from Sheila at Red Squirrel Press that my poetry collection ‘Laughter to Split Glass’ is due for publication next month. Details to be confirmed. Read from WAR ALL THE TIME by Bukowski today. OK. 11.06 pm.

Tuesday 31st July 2018

Took a good while to settle. Didn’t start keying in notes till almost lunchtime after washing up and re-reading the hard-hitting zine by Julia Eff. It was teatime before I was back on ANOMALIES. Jenni prompted me from Edinburgh via Facebook message to apply for an acting job at Beamish Hall as a ‘Scare Actor’ for a Terror in the Trees zombie Halloween outdoor show. Tonight I worked up two dust jacket options for the handmade hardback book – a photographic one and a hand-inked one. Haven’t decided if I should keep one for deluxe and the other for standard; or just keep trying different ones at each book printing. Should look mint. Oh, and a batch of paper stock arrived today as well. Nine Inch Nails on Spotify all evening. 11.42 pm.

Wednesday 1st August 2018

In the last half hour before bed I’ve developed a snotty nose, a headache and back pain. Been working on my book blurb for ANOMALIES dust jacket. Was up till half-one this morning. Off to bed for five or six hours. I knew that if I didn’t take the whole morning to ease back into things I’d be wrecked by late afternoon. It’s all been about minor tweaks and little self doubts today. I’ve pulled the blurb to bits, changed phrases, re-punctuated; dashes to colons, semicolons to commas and back again… Good to hear from Jenni, she’s enjoying looking after Catherine’s cat in the run up to the Fringe this weekend. My headache is kicking in and I need sleep very soon. Sheila has been in touch asking about final ‘Laughter…’ manuscript. And the zombie people want to speak to me about the ‘acting’ job on Friday. 11.28 pm.

Thursday 2nd August 2018

Stressful day. Didn’t sleep well. Woken by an incident outside around half midnight, then again at around four o’clock. Neighbours dispute or lovers’ tiff – either way it fucked me up sleep-wise for the day. Was meant to be at Waddington Street Centre first thing this morning to do my printing; didn’t get there till half-two this afternoon. Thirty quid spent on paper and cardstock. Pages still not printing dark enough on Waddy office printer. Mine is okay as home but toner doesn’t ‘fix’ so well to paper heavier than 90 gsm. Anyway, I got colour photograph inserts and assorted colour jacket samples sorted. Thanks to Peter and Steve for help with the printouts… Poetry Jam was awesome. Enjoyed all the guests: Ross Punton, Jasmine Jade and Donald Jenkins. The open floor jams were excellent as well – wide range of styles and voices… Difficult to write tonight. Too distracted by bookmaking. Need a printing solution ASAP. Disappointed. 

11.42 pm.

Friday 3rd August 2018

Computer running slow again. Took a ninety-minute second attempt to upload 64 Poetry Jam pix. Got a phone call from Terror in the Trees; I have an introductory audition workshop / meeting at Beamish Hall next Friday. If I make the grade I’ll be attempting to scare paying punters shitless outdoors each evening over three consecutive weekends in October. Been re-tweaking the fonts on ANOMALIES and trying out colour combos for dust jacket inners to go with outer sheets printed yesterday. Peter at Waddy says he thinks he has worked out how to change the contrast for the big printer from his desktop. But I originally had some very thin and fragile typefaces so best to change them. Slept for a while this evening. Been eating my final scraps before the big food trip tomorrow: too knackered to do it tonight. Will be sending ‘Laughter to Split Glass’ masters this weekend. 10.10 pm.

Saturday 4th August 2018

Itchy scalp. Heat spots? Or razor rash? Much of today taken up with shopping and sleeping after two late nights in a row, so no work save experimenting with coloured card and looking over pages for the hardback. One of my ultra rare Rollins books broke at the spine tonight – just cracked open my hands. Fixed it with an Amos glue stick then watched an Angela Carter documentary. Might read from a few poetry pamphlets before bed. 11.14 pm.

Sunday 5th August 2018

Morning pages included a half-baked thing from a NaPoWriMo 2016 prompt about planting seeds. Switched the computer on after dinner to do a final proofread of ‘Laughter to Split Glass’ then sorted remaining manuscript tweaks tonight. Quite terrifying clicking send; I fucked up alphabetizing a late addition to the Acknowledgements page, had to reset and try again. The next time I see the collection will be in the form of a PDF book proof from Red Squirrel Press. I want to be in bed by midnight. 

11.10 pm.