My first guest on the blog - Dominic Goodwin

With some trepidation, I present my first guest on this blog. And it isn't a writer, but someone whom regular readers of my books and old friends will realise is relevant! I hope I haven't done him any damage by inviting him on here. Thanks, Dom for agreeing to appear on the blog. Can you tell us how you started your life upon the wicked stage?

I was 13 and my best friend Warren was cast in the school play; “The Dracula Spectacular”, (as the vicar) and I thought “Well if he is in it, why not me”, so I auditioned and was cast as Genghis, the deformed manservant. As soon as I took the first tentative steps onto the stage on that first memorable night I was hooked. And have never stopped acting. Since then I have appeared in about 100 amateur productions, about 30 professional ones, 1 radio series, 1 feature film and enjoyed numerous radio interviews. What larks!!

You have a very important association with one of the most beautiful theatres in England, the Georgian Theatre Royal in Richmond, Yorkshire. Will you tell us about that?

When I turned professional in 2006 I already had a relationship at the Georgian as I knew the then chief executive. In the same year he offered to stage a couple of performances of my first tour; “The Long Mirror” by J B Priestley. Since then I have taken about 10 shows to the theatre and happily box office sales have increased for each show, and in 2010 I was approached to be The Dame in the first in-house pantomime in the venue for over 200 years; “Mother Goose”. The show went well with 46 performances from early December to the first week of January 2011. The following year the theatre decided on “The Adventures of Sinbad” and happily I was invited back to don frocks once again. “Sinbad” was a huge success, gaining 5 star reviews and turned a loss for “Mother Goose” into a profit. 2012 sees “Babes in the Wood” take to the stage for the Christmas and New Year season. It is a huge honour to be asked to work in one of the oldest theatres in the UK.

The Angus and Ross Theatre Company are far more serious. How do you find the two halves of your performing life fit together?

Very well. Angus and Ross Theatre Company was originally set-up to do one play: “Holmes and Watson: The Farewell Tour”, a comedy by Leeds playwright Stuart Fortey. Four tours later we are going to tour the show again – it has been so successful. It appears that theatre audiences like to laugh and this show fits that bill. It is pure farce. And audiences have always enjoyed the show. We decided to keep the company going after the end of the first tour and enjoy doing a wide variety of shows. We have also staged “The Mystery of Irma Vep” by Charles Ludlam. A quick-change penny dreadful for two actors; we had 30 changes and four characters each to play, pure madness but a delight.
I was in my dressing room last year at the Georgian – sitting in tights and a frock, and reading the next play “Frankenstein live” by BAFTA nominated Tom Needham. I was to be cast as The Monster in a serious piece, totally at odds with “Irma” or “Holmes and Watson”, an exciting prospect. I sat reading thinking I can’t possibly do this. But we did and it was very exciting trying to scale the heights of a truly monstrous character – especially after donning tights and a frock as Dame. Variety being the spice of life!

How do you feel about community theatre? (Bearing in mind, of course, that I now do community theatre! Oh - and so does Libby Sarjeant.)

I have always done it. It is to be celebrated. I spent some years, even after turning pro directing a local company, (probably as they had no-one else to do it), and it was a good way to put something back. Also the thrill of not learning lines is a real treat. Last summer I worked with 1812 Theatre Company in Helmsley and directed “Oh Clarence”, based on “The Blandings Castle” stories by P G Wodehouse. It was lovely to sit at the back of the house and watch the audience in fits of laughter and to help inexperienced actors grasp the notion of comedy, character and rhythm.
Community Arts brings everyone together like nothing else. You will go to a show in your local village hall / theatre / memorial hall / community centre (delete as appropriate) and sit with every class, every colour, every age. It is the total leveller.


If you hadn’t become an actor, do you think there’s any other career you would have liked to pursue?

Probably Director, if not I would go back and run a venue.

If you have any time off, what do you like to do? Apart from collapse in a heap and sleep, of course!

In no particular order:
Birdwatching,
Watch British movies of the 50’s and 60’s.
Listen to Audio Books
Read
Visit Scotland
Listen and watch vintage comedy such as Les Dawson, Arthur Marsahll,Radio Comedy of the 40s, 50s and 60s and of course dear old Hinge and Bracket.

And of course read the Libby Sarjeant books! Thanks, Dom, for being my first and surely most interesting guest.

Publishers - a view

Has everyone seen this: http://gu.com/p/35n8m/tw ? It's Anthony Horowitz on publishers - do we need them or not. It's really funny, but serious, too. When it starts, you feel he's turned against traditional publishers, but as it goes on you realise he hasn't, and he points out the value of said trad publishers. He also quotes from a "bestselling" self pubbed ebook, changing the names of the characters - and the gender of one. And I recognised it. After having this title thrust under my nose everywhere (not by the author, who follows me on Twitter) but amazon and general buzz, I decided I'd try a sample. I'm glad I didn't buy it.

The piece he quotes isn't actually bad, but he points out what an editor would do with it and it's a lesson to us all.Not that I'm saying anything against those of us who self pub - Susan Alison does an excellent job, and so, I'm sure, do many others, and the backlists everyone puts up have already had a thorough going over - but it does raise a point.

Also, despite authors having to be fairly hands-on with marketing and promotion these days, publishers do take a lot of the responsibility and, in the case of print books, do all that complicated stuff of distribution.

As someone who hates editing (mainly because I hate reading my own stuff) I'm glad someone else does it for me and points out all the crap mistakes (although some still get through). On the other hand, increased percentages are tempting, as is control over pricing. And for someone who has missed out on a traditional deal because they don't fit the preconceived ideas for their genre, it's an excellent way to prove that sometimes, the industry isn't always right.

Meanwhile, back at the coalface, Murder by Magic is treacling on. Poor Libby, Fran and Ben are being forced into even more ridiculous scenarios, which will hopefully be resolved in time for you to buy it June!

New Fans from old...

No, that doesn't read quite right...

A young friend, Paul Dunford, who was rushed into hospital for an emergency appendectomy returned home bored to death. A mutual friend, the actor Dominic Goodwin (of whom more anon) recommended he read a Libby Sarjeant book. Wow! says I. I didn't know you read my books, Dom! Appears he has, is champing at the bit for the next and is a huge fan. Well, well, well!

So, as a get well present I sent Paul, on Dom's advice, the first in the series. Turns out, Paul hasn't read a book since school (Mice and Men) and he's now in his thirties. I began to chew the fingernails, but Lo. A new and very vocal fan has been born, and sent me this:


Between them, Dom and Paul have been a two-man publicity team, and I've now discovered a group of people I only know vaguely online have also been reading my books. I wonder, now, were they ashamed to tell me?

Dom is going to be a guest on this blog soon, and readers will be able to see how versatile he is - and to see why he is a particular friend of mine! You will also be given a glimpse of the truly wonderful Georgian Theatre Royal in Richmond. (Yorkshire not Surrey.)

The Alan Titchmarsh Show and New Covers

Yes, to complete the national coverage begun by the Daily Express and continued by The One Show, I have now been recorded for Mr Titchmarsh's daily show. It will go out on March 13th, an easy date to remember, as it was my mum's birthday and the anniversary of Phillipa's christening.

Not, of course, about the books, but once again about flying. I was with two extremely glamorous ex Pan-Am hostesses, who were both ten years older than I was and terribly well dressed. I was, as usual, in my Primarni. Mr T was charming and pretended he remembered me from The Savoy years ago, we met Jenny Agutter, who was a delight, and gawped at Russell Grant, David Haig and various other celebs that Louise (she came to hold my hand) recognised and I didn't. I nearly didn't do it, but was persuaded by others, including my friend Judy Astley, who tells me it will all Come In. And, of course, it will.

And now: Ta Da! New covers. (Hope this works.)

New Year, new contracts

I was gratified to see that several people with whom I exchange Christmas Cards, especially Mary, Marian and Susan (you know who you are) keep up with the family via this blog, so I must try and keep it slightly more up to date.

My big news is that just before Christmas my publishers offered me a new three book deal (that's after Murder By Magic) with all the books going into B format and being re-jacketed! That includes the back list, so we're hoping to see a boost in back list sales, too. So that's good - I can eat and pay the bills for another three years. On the downside, I have to come up with new blurbs for all the back list and (which I'm flattered about) suggestions for the covers. They've all been re-jacketed once already, so I'm a bit stumped on that one.

Phillipa arrived back in the country on December 4th and has been camping out here in between visits to Bristol, Brighton and Saffron Walden. She returns to the Disney Dream on January 7th (I think). Leo has been here since last Friday and returns to Manchester tomorrow (Wednesday). Miles, who lives round the corner, has been here every day, and Lou, Jarrod and the children joined us yesterday. My house is really not big enough! Jarrod's other daughter and his dad joined us in the afternoon, so it was hanging off the rafters time. As it will be tonight, when I hold my annual what-used-to-be-called-Leftovers party. I never quite know who's coming, and one year there were only about eight of us until midnight when the hoards descended after the pub. Note to anyone who might read this who may be coming: please don't do it again!

May I take this opportunity to wish all readers and followers of the blog a very happy and hopefully prosperous new year - and let me know when you've you've read it! (There is a comments box, you know...) See you in 2012.

Dating Direct

A long time ago I joined Dating Direct to see if there was anyone in the world who might just be a possible soulmate for me. I soon discovered there wasn't. But I wanted to use online dating in the Libby Sarjeant book I'm currently writing, Libby number ten, Murder by Magic.

So I rejoined, under a different onscreen name. Not that anyone would remember the original, it was too long ago! A friend, Danuta Kean talked me through my personal ad and suggested that I'd joined the wrong website, but I couldn't afford to pay for another subscription, so I left a free ad on the slightly more upmarket site - which has produced nothing - and carried on waiting for someone to turn up on Dating Direct. I was as honest about me as could be, as I didn't want to be using the site under false pretences, but I've decided that the men who appear on the site in my preferred age range (OK - elderly!) are completely deluded.

Now, would a young (!) woman of 50 really want to start a relationship with a wrinkled, balding man of 65? If Sean Connery was on the market it would be a different matter, but he isn't. But that's what most of these men want. And there are men who are recently separated, divorced or widowed. No - way too soon! "I lost my wife last year after thirtyfive years and think it's time to start meeting other women." In order to get the shirts washed and the dinners cooked, perhaps?

I have to be honest, the fact that I haven't found anyone I would even share a drink with is matched by the lack of interest in my own profile. Oh, yes, a lot of people view it, but no-one has yet got in touch. (No, I'm still pedant enough not to use "contact" as a verb.) But - this is not for real. And thank goodness. Because do I actually want someone else in my life? To moan about my cavalier attitude to housework, meals and television? Let's face it - no. But I really would like to know what prompts some men to be so unrealistic in their search for that elusive soulmate. Any ideas? I'd really like to know.

The Launch of Murder At The Manor

Well, it finally escaped. Murder At The Manor is now available in a bookshop near you. Possibly. And on Amazon. Probably. Not that I have my author copies yet, but you can't have everything. Apparently there was a problem with the bar-code. Which makes me feel like a product rather than an author.

To launch it, I sent out hundreds of invitations on Facebook and Twitter, as I did for the last book, Murder To Music, and as I expect I shall for the next one, Murder By Magic. Lots of people popped in to say hello and congratulations, have a glass of virtual fizz and a piece of cake. The canapes went down well, too. Last Saturday, coincidentally, I was the guest of the Whitstable Book Club at their 25th Anniversary celebration, which fitted in nicely. I was given champagne, wine, lunch and a book token, just for burbling on about books for an hour. Also a cupcake, made by a friend of mine, Val Tilley, in home made cake cases made of that Penguin Titles wrapping paper, and surmounted by a tiny little book with the dates "1986 - 2011" on the front in gold. I have taken a picture, but can't manage to download it, technically challenged as I am.

I also did the infamous "Blog Tour", which means being guest blogger on other people's blogs or being interviewed on their blogs. My favourite is the Monty and Rosie Blog which is also going to appear permanently on my website. For some reason, Blogger is not publishing the link, although I have done it just as they ask! It's the blog home of my friend Susan Alison, who created the lovely map which now appears in the front of every book and on my website. I'd love you to take a look and tell Susan how much you like it.

And so, onwards and upwards. Next up, Murder By Magic, available next June. I am currently battling with it, having already discovered I'd made a mistake about the murder method. Good job I found out now - right at the beginning, rather than...shudder.