Back to Writing

It is just over five years since I launched the Oliver's Poetry website and this blog site, Oliver’s Poetry Garret, and a little more than five months since the publication of my first poetry book, The Commuter’s Tale.

Looking back over these different periods is a strange feeling. I was in a very different place and state of mind in June 2006, living in a garret flat in Leamington Spa, under often-tough circumstances, and in Lewes at weekends, attending performance poetry events across the Midlands, and looking for a way of expressing my enthusiasms and, I guess, my angst.

In the five and a bit months since the launch of my book, I have devoted the majority of my spare time to promoting it. Poetry sells about as quickly as asbestos burns. Nonetheless, I have persevered, using all my publicity know-how and contacts to get it some kind of profile and into more than 130 bookstores in England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland.

I believe it has been as successful during that time as one could realistically have hoped for, earning some lovely comments from journalists, celebrities and, most important, the public.

I have promoted The Commuter's Tale in every way I, and my friends and supporters, could conceive. However, before I grow to hate promoting it, now is the time to set the book free, to allow the seeds I have sown to germinate, and Lady Luck to do her bit.

Whatever my friends and mates say, I do not particularly like promoting my own writing. I much prefer doing publicity and marketing on behalf of others - far less embarrassing. That said, I have received some great reaction from people; getting a postcard with a rave review of the book from Hugo Williams, an esteemed poet whom I admire, was one highlight; the wonderful reception from booksellers in Waterstone’s branches across Britain another.

I’d like to thank all those who have given me support and shown enthusiasm for the project. It has meant such a lot to me, guys!

Of course one takes the rough with the smooth. Having your first book published is one of those life-changing events, like having your first child, which splits your social circle. Most are delighted for you; some totally ignore it; while a few are jealous and find that hard to conceal.

For instance, I received an email from one poet complaining I had been published under a pen-name - who'd have thought that Oliver Gozzard wasn't my real name! - and also that I had used rhyme, something she professed to find "irritating"!

Later, the same poet emailed me a second time to admit that she had always wanted to have a book published.

Moreover, a member of the Poetry Society, of which I am also part, sent me a missive, complaining that I had posted a sample of The Commuter's Tale on the Poetry Society's FaceBook "wall".

Poetry on the Poetry Society page! Quelle horreur! It seemed she was more interested in which Poetry Society politico was in or out - leaving or staying in post - than actual poetry or poets. Every walk of life attracts politics and its apparatchiks.

At weekends, I have spent a good deal of time telephoning bookshops and have had a great response from many of them.

A lot of booksellers are really enthusiastic about writers and their books and have been thrilled to stock my book. You get the odd bad experience, though.

My worst occurred when I had the temerity to call a bookseller in a place called Tonbridge. He immediately suggested I send him a complimentary copy of the book for him "to sell"! I replied that I would be more than happy to send him a comp to read and inspect, provided he then ordered a copy to sell from the distributor if he liked it.

The unrepentant bookseller insisted he wanted just the complimentary copy. I inquired: "What would the publisher and the author get out of it if you sold it." Evidently pleased with himself, he replied: "Nothing!"

I was baffled and disturbed by his brazen approach. He did not consider it reasonable for me to receive even one penny for my hard work! I could not help but think: "What a Kent!"

Five months is a hell of a long time to be promoting one item. I have never tried anything like it before - and will probably never do so again.

Now this time is over, I am beginning to get the rest of my life back, watching some television, going to public house out and again and catching up on my mountains of paperwork at home and my friends.

I want to get my life back on track, to look to the future and have some kind of plan. I particularly want to get back into writing.

With editing and promoting The Commuter's Tale, I have written hardly any poetry, or prose fiction, for at least 18 months - far too long, in my view. It has even been difficult for me to find time to write this blog.

I have an idea for a style of poetry I want to try writing in, and am keen to work on developing this new style.

It is shocking how promoting and distributing a book can knock the writing right out of you. It is as if it employs a different part of the brain which stops off that kind of creativity.

A lot of things have happened in the last few months, of course. I have to admit I rather enjoyed The Royal Wedding. I watched it on telly - by far the best view - and once Kate and Wills were safely wed, hopped on the train to London to join the wedding-day crowds.

There was a great atmosphere and it was entertaining to see my old sparring partner, Tim Wilcox, now a BBC freelance anchorman, having a wee run-in with The Fuzz (who, admittedly, were being typically officious).

Working near Buckingham Palace, I also witnessed the build-up to the wedding. I have never seen such a media circus or such quirky campers.

I enjoyed taking some pictures of the preparations and of the big day which I have sprinkled randomly around this blog entry.

Since December I have been using FaceBook and Twitter to promote The Commuter's Tale (MySpace is a dead duck, in my opinion), posting updates on reviews, orders and other developments.

And from the anniversary of Lord Byron's death on 19 April till the end of May I put up a stanza or two of the poem every day. In total I "Facebooked" and tweeted 70 stanzas - 560 lines - of poetry, which in among the regular tittle-tattle on the social media site.

On Facebook and Twitter there is, of course, some interesting material, but it is exceptional. Most of what appears is even more inane than the current appalling Doctor Who series.

I am often surprised by what people publish on Facebook and Twitter and I don't just mean the posts or tweets about the superinjunction-celebrities known to the great public only as "COK, DIK, CNT, WNK, RSE, TIT, RYN and GGS".

However, as I have observed in previous postings, FaceBook can be horribly addictive. You garner far too many so-called friends (around 725 of them in my case) and end up clicking "like" to so many of their comments, somewhat diminishing the significance of the few genuine friends whose comments you genuinely appreciate.

Now I have quit Facebook and Twitter, I feel like a rampant sexaholic released from his libido!

In the run-up to the Royal Wedding, I thought of tweeting and Facebooking the blatant lie - my invention - that my dear Icelandic friend Midders is related to Kate Middleton and her sister, 'Her Royal Hotness Princess Pippa'.

I resisted the temptation to publish such nonsense, so imagine my surprise when I was surfing the web and found an Icelandic newspaper article on this very subject.



It would appear that my friend Midders is indeed related to Kate and Sister Hotcheeks, and that his dad attended the wedding.

I am sure I saw Midders Senior go into the Middleton post-nuptials bash at the Goring Hotel, where I had attended my dear friend Lucian Hudson's 50th birthday bash about this time last year.

In Lewes, the Royal Wedding generated minimal interest. The people of Lewes are very independent and generally don't even like the idea of their MP being a Government minister.

The big event in town recently was the re-opening of the Priory ruins. It was a great day, basked in sunshine, albeit a show of two halves.

The top part of the site was run by the Priory Trust and was a bit stuffy in its nature.

The bottom part was organised by Southover Bonfire Society and was totally packed and a huge succcess. Overall, the event was great.

I had been roped in to do the announcing. Imaginative children's poet Simon Welsh performed on the main stage as well as some brilliant young musicians from Starfish. It was touching to see a songstress singing her heart out while three young boys played around her.

More than four thousand people attended the fair, raising a substantial sum for Southover Bonfire Society, of which I am a member.

The fair ended with a tug o' war, surprisingly won by the team put up by Lewes FC fans - the only trophy the club is likely to bag in the foreseeable future!

Lewes FC (the so-called Mighty Rooks) have had a terrible season, managing to get themselves demoted, despite every opportunity of staying up.

I am not alone in being glad to see the back of manager Paddy Tosh "Tim" O'Shea, and was quite taken aback to have read in the Sussex Express that the Board had wanted, and tried, to keep him on for next season.

He could easily have succeeded in keeping up Lewes - but failed miserably. We desperately need a new manager to galvanise what remains of the team and rediscover winning ways.

But hope springs eternal. I was buying a couple of beers down at the corner shop the other night when I was approached by the playwright, comedian and actor Patrick Marber who, to my surprise, apologised profusely for having not read my book yet, explaining that he wanted to do so in one sitting. Somewhat taken aback, I said that my friend behind the counter of the store had been a professional footballer and was ready and willing to help Lewes FC as a player or even manager. Marber, who is on the board of Lewes FC, showed some interest in this remark but hinted good news was on the way on the manager front.

And, tonight, I was walking past the ground and saw that the fixtures board contained the words: "THE KING IS BACK" which, I can only assume, means legendary Lewes FC manager Steve King (who, bizarrely, was sacked three years ago after earning the club promotion) is returning to his rightful place at the helm. Absolutely fantastic and amazing news! Well done, Marber and fellow Directors!

* We have had some excellent weather. Despite the many hours I have spent at my desk, I have found some time to enjoy the amazing run of sunny days. The sunsets in Brighton and at my allotment at Earwig Corner have been sublime.

The flip side, naturally, is that the allotment has been like the Sahara Desert - arid and hard to grow anything in but weeds.

All the same, I have managed to get the weeds down and keep a few onion and garlic plants, at least, moving upwards. It is a sanctuary of tranquility at Earwig Corner. One day I might even write some poetry there.

My poetry club, Lewes Poetry, has been shuffling along in its own inimitable way. The last couple of gigs have had some great performances by poets such as Sian Thomas and Rebecca Hurst.

Both have also contributed poems to the Fifth Birthday Edition of the Oliver's Poetry website, along Oxford poet Laura King, old friend Tony Constantino (brother of my late friend John Constantino), from Portugal, and ace poet (and employment law adviser) David Burridge.

The five years since I launched the site have gone all too quickly. I have published around 90 poems contributed by other poets - from the famous to completely unknown - as well as a selection of my own work.

Writing Oliver's Poetry Garret blog has been enjoyable, although I am not your usual blogger in style, having chosen to blog only very occasionally but then at length on a range of subjects, illustrated by large numbers of my own photographs. Over five years I have produced only 92 blog entries - a mean average of around 18 a year, although it has been even fewer recently!

It is possibly not the most public-friendly way of blogging, but I like it and it suits me.

This whole experience - a creative journey, really - of creating the Oliver's Poetry site, its blog, performing poetry in clubs, and writing and publishing The Commuter's Tale has been an instructive one.

I am learnt a lot about myself and about the people I know: those you are wonderfully enthusiastic and supportive, and those who are flaky, crazy and unreliable. Who if truth were told couldn't give a fig about you.

Life is full of surprises. You get great moments - like this review broadcast on the RRRants collective's radio show - and also great challenges. It is a constant fight.

But that's life.

Check out the Fifth Birthday edition of Oliver's Poetry!

P.S. Here, for the final time, I promise, is the updated list of quotes from people who've read The Commuter's Tale:


What the readers say:


‘An uncompromised work of genius’ Chris Mason-Felsin

‘A brilliant and truly stunning piece of work’ John Eckersley

‘Had me hooked and wanting more’ John McJannet

‘Clever, witty and kept surprising me’ Juliette Mitchell

‘A unique mix: Byron meets ‘Candide’ meets ‘Monty Python’s Flying Circus’ - immense fun to read’ Trefor Stockwell

‘Made me roar with laughter’ Elizabeth Darcy Jones

‘A book like no other’ Tom Quinn

‘Absolutely superb’ Sarah Crouch

‘A racy read in rap style’ David Burridge

‘Good fun – I really enjoyed it’ Chris Fowler

‘Very absorbing, gripping and engaging – a great read!’ Amanda Banks

‘Gozzard is cooking on gas in this vibrant odyssey’ Roderick Spode

‘Really, really good. Respect!’ Doug Taylor

‘I thoroughly enjoyed it – brilliant!’ Catharine Newman

‘Accessible, entertaining and different’ Jamie Crawford

‘So funny I read it twice’ Ian Hunt

‘Cracking – I couldn’t put it down’ Iona Jette


What the famous say about The Commuter’s Tale:


‘I just couldn't do it justice!’ Jeremy Paxman

‘A fine book, The Commuter’s Tale. Very readable’ Hugo Williams

‘Shows initiative and a sense of humour’ Joanne Harris

‘Very entertaining - chunters along like a train’ Channel 5’s Matthew Wright

‘A rollicking odyssey of joy’ Radio 4’s Elvis McGonagall

‘Belloc meets Byron meets Chaucer’ Attila the Stockbroker

'Bold and engaging, told with brave commitment and good humour. Most unusual’ Jeremy Stockwell, star of BBC2’s The Speaker

‘I support The Commuter’s Tale and wish it every success’ Transport Minister Norman Baker MP

What the media say:

‘The ideal read for a train journey’ Splash FM

‘A thriller in verse’ Metro

‘A dramatic yarn’ Tim Cornwell (John Le Carré’s son), The Scotsman

‘A delightful world of romance and adventure’ Michael Prescott, ex-Sunday Times

‘Poetry in motion’ Sussex Express

‘Loads of pace! I read it in one sitting on a train and really enjoyed it!’ Kenny Farquharson, Deputy Editor, Scotland on Sunday

‘Neatly calls to mind the reassuring rhythm of the railway’ Alex Leith, Editor, Viva Lewes

‘A page-turner’ Artists and Makers

‘Highly acclaimed’ Scunthorpe Telegraph

‘Poetic thriller by poet who knew Philip Larkin’ Hull Daily Mail

‘Brave and singular, unlike anything else you are likely to read this year’ The Frogmore Papers

‘Read this book! It will inflame any hidden craving you may have to break away from your norm’ RRRants radio show

‘A swashbuckling, thrilling odyssey – excellent! Waterstone’s

Awaiting The Big Break!

It is now about two months since the launch of The Commuter's Tale - and in that time we've come a long way.


I have taken the same approach that my late friend Sam Towers took to his allotment - "Do a little, leave a lot" every day.

Rather than trying to complete everything at once, I have done a little bit, often - trying to do something every evening to push the book.

To be fair to myself, it has gone pretty well.

The Commuter's Tale is now in more than 120 outlets, including around 105 branches of Waterstone's, listed here

It has been selling in Lewes at the excellent bookshop Sky Lark, in the Needlemakers, and at the Runaway Cafe, at Lewes Station, among other outlets.

And Amazon is selling it here with some success.

Moreover, the publicity has been good.

Since my last blog entry, the Metro article has appeared (you need to enter your email address to view).

And my chipping away at the publicity has brought in a wide range of other coverage, such as the Hull Daily Mail and the Scunthorpe Telegraph.

Overall, I have had 11 pieces of tradional media publicity (Metro, Scotsman, Hull Daily Mail, Coventry Evening Telegraph, Scunthorpe Telegraph, Sussex Express (twice), Viva Lewes, BBC Sussex & Surrey and Bright FM), and eight pieces on web blogs) which makes around 20 publicity hits in total.

Not bad at all for a first poetry book, although I have to admit I feel a tad disappointed.

I still feel I am waiting for my book's BIG BREAK!

There was certainly a lot of reaction and interest after the Metro piece appeared, and a sales spike, but it still has not got people really talking about The Commuter's Tale.

I have put a lot of evenings into posting out review copies to the national newspaper, literary magazines, and regional arts editors.

To date, little has come of it. For the nationals, poetry seems to be a total turn-off.

Many of the regionals don't review books - something I really should have known.

I have been having to try to ask favours of old friends to even get it considered for review.

The reader reaction, however, has been excellent.

If only all the book editors and arts editors and booksellers could meet the readers who have enjoyed it.

I am starting to realise just how tough a business book publishing is.

Don't get me wrong, though: I am enjoying the ride.

As I think I have said in a previous blog entry, I promised myself in December last year, when I started doing some promotional work on The Commuter's Tale, that I would not be put off by anything.

But, some nights, when I check my email and get another little knock-back, I can't help feeling a shade blue.

It is particularly irksome when someone promises something and then withdraws it without saying why.

For instance, the guy at the Bow Windows second-hand bookshop in Lewes TWICE promised to put up a poster in the window for The Commuter's Tale.

His shop has a big notice in the window saying he takes orders for new books, so it would be to his advantage.

Two months on, no poster has appeared, even though any tiny event in Lewes seems worthy of his window space.

Why couldn't he just explain that he has no truck with new books and, while he was at it, take down his ORDER NEW BOOKS HERE sign?

Still, it is a very minor matter and I don't let it upset it.

The great thing is that every time there's a tiny set-back with the book, something good happens.

Last week, for example, the Runaway cafe at Lewes Station sold at least one copy of the book every day!

All the same, we could do with something to lift The Commuter's Tale higher in the public consciousness.

I went for a drink with my old friend Matthew Wright, a very decent bloke and now a successful TV presenter for Channel Five, and, while I was with him at his club, the Ivy Club, asked his advice on what to do.

He agreed it was a tough challenge, with little chance of getting the book onto television.

National radio, he reckoned, was a better bet.

He said my best hope was if a famous arts person were to love the book and promote it for me through a well-read blog or other means.

It is so true. The Commuter's Tale needs the hydrogen of celebrity to power it!

But how do you achieve that?

Most celebrities keep themselves busy promoting themselves - and would not spare a thought for an unknown writer.

And, frankly, I don't blame them. Why should they help me? What's it is for them?

Promoting this book is nothing if not character building.

I have learnt not to expect replies to emails sent to booksellers and journalists.

It is a numbers game. And when you do hear back, it is a real delight!

I have persevered with the internet - that great communication democracy.

Now I have built up a Facebook audience of around 600, a Twitter of 420 and still have around 50 on MySpace - making a potential 1,000-strong group for my updates on the book and its progress.

As I mentioned in my last blog entry, Facebook is the most addictive online forum, but also the silliest of the social networks, working on the principle that you are not allowed to make new friends online.

Recently I was in the "sin bin" for seven days for the FaceCrime of "being over-friendly".

Ironically, the Geek Cops arrested me while I was befriending someone I actually know.

FaceBook is like an enormous practical joke that precocious American teenagers have played on the world.

MySpace, on the other hand, has been completely shafted by them.

It is like a theatre where the show's still running but the audience has gone home.

It hardly seems worth posting on it. The MySpace auditorium is so empty, when you speak you can hear the echo!

Twitter could still be useful. I have been pruning down the 2,000 people I follow, removing the scribes of the more ludicrous or uninteresting tweets.

I shall then invite some more bookish types who might be interested in The Commuter's Tale.

I have yet to experiment with sending people direct messages - I don't want to be serving two social concurrent gaol sentences!

For all this, publishing a book is a reward in itself.

It is wonderful having it out there, and knowing that at least some people are reading it, and judging from the feedback enjoying it.

A lifelong ambition achieved!

Because of The Commuter's Tale, I have been in touch with old friends and met some great new people.

In Lewes, the bookshop stocking it is Sky Lark where the owner, Matt Birch, has been very supportive.

He suggested I should enter The Commuter's Tale for competitions because even a short-listed poetry book is suddenly taken seriously by the media. A good idea.

But, perhaps, I should not worry. I have a great list of promotion and distribution work I am doing for book and should just keep chipping away at them in my spare time until one of them - or a combination of several - sets the snowball a-rolling.

My latest endeavour has been to go on a one-man, two-day tour of bookshops, signing copies of The Commuter's Tale, and getting the booksellers to turn them face-out, which makes a big difference, particularly with a small book.

The first leg of the London tour was on a very wet day indeed when I was feeling a bit queasy.

I trudged from Trafalgar Square, where I was well received in Waterstone's (thanks for your help, Dawn), to Blackwell's in Charing Cross Road, where Lachlan ordered a copy.

Then several times to Foyles on Charing Cross Road, where, eventually, I met the poetry buyer, who, bizarrely recognised me, and ordered a copy, and Gower Street Waterstone's, where Damian was very friendly and helpful.

I was feeling quite ill by this stage. Soaked to the skin, with a very sensitive stomach and a painful right knee which made me limp.

Exhausted, I sat in a cafe on Tottenham Court Road and drank a coffee and took painkillers.

They had a bookshelf with donated books for the customers to read, so I gave them a signed copy of The Commuter's Tale, hoping a Hollywood producer might drop by and pick it up!

My strength slightly regained, I traipsed down Oxford Street to sign books in Waterstone's Plaza and Oxford Street branches (thanks, Steve and Bridget).

Then to the big one - Piccadilly Waterstone's where I signed the books with the incredibly helpful and pleasant Laura who must be one of Britain's most adorable booksellers.

Always so upbeat and affable. Thanks, Laura, you're a diamond - and with a lucky name!

I sat on a sofa for a long time in Waterstone's Piccadilly reading a John Betjeman book. Then I walked through the driving rain to Covent Garden Waterstone's, where Cat allowed me to sign the book and turn it facing out.

On then to Fleet Street, where I once worked as a journalist, to see Ed and sign and face out my books, and then again, with Charlie, just down the road at Ludgate Circus Waterstone's.

Finally, I walked into the City, checking out Daunt's on Cheapside, where the manager Ben was very friendly but explained the book hadn't come in yet, and then Leadenhall Market Waterstone's, where they couldn't find it, even though it was in stock.

It is surprising how often this happens. Apparently, shoppers often take the books out to read on the sofas and then put them back in the wrong part or store, or, worse, just purloin them.

Still, a dozen shops in one day was not bad going. I returned home absolutely drained.

On the second leg of the tour, it was really hot and sunny. Rather than getting cold and wet, I ended up sweaty and sunburnt.

I started in Notting Hill, signing at the Waterstone's (thanks, Sula) and then searching for a long time for the posh bookshops I had read about in a Sunday Times Magazine article.

After what seemed like a hell of a long walk, I found the famous Lutyens and Rubenstein, where Claire, every bit as wondrous as described in the article, took five signed copies of The Commuter's Tale.

She directed me on to the nearby Travel Bookshop, where the helpful Saara took three copies and I bought a George Orwell book for a fiver.

Delighted by this progress, I had coffee at a pavement cafe where I fell into conversation with a couple of Icelandic lawyers, called Siggi and Helga, who bought another copy.

On to Chiswick Waterstone's by bus where they had plenty of the promotional Commuter's Tale bookmarks but couldn't find the book.

I gave the lovely Lara a copy to review and she ordered more copies for stock, and I had a very pleasant chat with Eleny. Chiswick Waterstone's is a store well worth supporting!

Onto the Tube and the long journey to Wimbledon, where I signed the book at Wimbledon Bridge Waterstone's (thanks, Patrizia!) I already felt like I'd been travelling for days but had hardly made any headway with my schedule.

So, I skipped lunch and took the train to Kingston, where after a long search my book was found by staff at the Waterstone's in the Bentall Shopping Centre - quite a place!

They offered to move some Larkin out of the way to face out The Commuter's Tale! Thanks, Ralph!

It was getting late now and I hurried, as fast as the train would allow, to Richmond, where I signed in Waterstone's, and then Hampstead, where the charming Elle-Louise, took a signed copy at Daunt's.

In the street I bumped into her old friend Jeremy Austin, a former Stage journalist, who had become a dad and a house-husband. Great to see him and his baby!

And, when he heard what I was doing, he offered to buy a book.

There was a real buzz about Hampstead Waterstone's, with real good buskers at the doors. I signed a copy of the book (thanks, Sorelle) and felt quite sad to have to head home.

On the way back, I dropped in at a packed Friday night Camden Town and signed at Waterstone's (thanks, Andrew), rounding off my day.

Rarely have I felt so exhausted. Even two days' later, I am in pain!

Sometimes I think this entire book thing is mad. One has to work insanely hard to sell a few poetry books!

Readings are just as bad. You can travel hundreds of miles to perform in front of an audience of six, go down well and still sell no books!

It's a crazy world - but I still enjoy it!

Anyway, I have still enjoyed the experience, particularly going to parts of London I would not normally visit. And meeting all the good people in bookshops.

Hopefully, next time I blog I will have some excellent news!

If you fancy getting the book, visit Waterstone's or here's the link to The Commuter's Tale page on Amazon.

Or come to Lewes Poetry, at the Lewes Arms, from 8.30pm on 28 April and get a signed copy straight from the horse's mouth!

Some comments about the book are below.

What the readers say about The Commuter’s Tale:

‘An uncompromised work of genius’ Chris Mason-Felsin
‘A brilliant and truly stunning piece of work’ John Eckersley
‘Had me hooked and wanting more’ John McJannet
‘Clever, witty and kept surprising me’ Juliette Mitchell
‘Made me roar with laughter’ Elizabeth Darcy Jones
‘A book like no other’ Tom Quinn
‘Absolutely superb’ Sarah Crouch
‘Good fun – I really enjoyed it’ Chris Fowler
‘Very absorbing, gripping and engaging – a great read!’ Amanda Banks
‘Gozzard is cooking on gas in this vibrant odyssey’ Roderick Spode

What the famous say:

‘Shows initiative and a sense of humour’ Joanne Harris
‘I just couldn't do it justice!’ Jeremy Paxman
‘Very entertaining – chunters along like a train’ Matthew Wright
‘A rollicking odyssey of joy’ Radio 4 poet Elvis McGonagall
‘Belloc meets Byron meets Chaucer’ Veteran poet Attila the Stockbroker
‘I support The Commuter’s Tale and wish it every success’
Transport Minister and Lewes MP Norman Baker

What the media say:

‘A thriller in verse’ Metro
‘A dramatic yarn’ Tim Cornwell (John Le Carré’s son), The Scotsman
‘Poetry in motion’ Sussex Express
‘Loads of pace! I read it in one sitting on a train and really enjoyed it!’ Kenny Farquharson, Deputy Editor, Scotland on Sunday
‘Neatly calls to mind the reassuring rhythm of the railway’ Alex Leith, Editor, Viva Lewes
‘A page-turner’ Artists and Makers
‘Highly acclaimed’ Scunthorpe Telegraph
‘Poetic thriller by poet who knew Philip Larkin’ Hull Daily Mail
‘The ideal read for a train journey’ Splash FM

 Oliver's Poetry

The Launch of The Commuter's Tale by Oliver Gozzard

The Commuter's Tale by Oliver Gozzard is launched. It is in bookshops, selling online and being written about.

The past month has been one of the busiest of my life. I imagined that getting a book off the ground would be hard work, but had no idea what a mountain of tasks it would create for me to do. Without a doubt, I would say it is the most difficult thing I have ever attempted.

I have written hundreds of emails about it to people and organisations, personally visited as many bookshops as time allows, written and distributed a flight of different press releases, phoned dozens of journalists, and done all the interviews that have come my way. And all this in my spare time, as I am working full-time in a demanding job. It has been tough.

The launch event - at the Runaway buffet at Lewes Station - was on Saturday, 22 January, which would have been Lord Byron's 223rd birthday. It went well. The publisher Nick Awde (of Desert Hearts) and I greeted a good crowd, and The Commuter's Tale was selling well even before the event started.

I read a few stanzas and signed books, and the guests enjoyed the wine. It was great that esteemed poets John Agard and Grace Nichols came along, as well as Frogmore publisher and talented poet Jeremy Page, and many of the gifted performers who come to the Lewes Poetry evenings I run at the Lewes Arms.

Vic Elsey, who runs The Runaway was on great form and I presented him with a present of a bottle of malt whisky for his support. My patient publisher Nick Awde got a less alcoholic gift for his unerring efforts.

And it was great to see people I had met on the train also coming to the launch, particularly 'The Tennis Girls' who have asked me to talk about The Commuter's Tale at their reading group.

All the same, promoting a book is pretty daunting, because you have to take on the vast majority of the work yourself.

You have to sell it to the public, the media and the booksellers. If you fail in any category, your book will not succeed!

Despite my strategic approach to the task and all my experience at promotion, I still sometimes lie awake in bed wondering if the publisher and I are going to be left with a huge stack of unsold books!

The press coverage so far has been very good. It has been written about in The Scotsman, Scotland's quality national newspaper, and in the Brighton Argus and the Sussex Express, which has taken a picture of me at Lewes Station for a second piece.

I have been interviewed by Metro, Britain's third largest national newspaper, and on Bright FM and BBC Radio Sussex and Surrey.

The Coventry Evening Telegraph and The Hull Daily Mail have both promised to run pieces about The Commuter's Tale. And a piece is due to appear in The Stage newspaper.

I have spent the evenings of the past week speaking to national newspaper contacts and sending out review copies of the book. A couple of cracking national newspaper reviews would do it a world of good.

The reviews have been coming in on the websites. The Commuter's Tale has had four reviews on Amazon.co.uk - all excellent, three five-star reviews and one four-star one - and a five-star review and a four-star one on the W H Smith online bookshop, and a five-star review on Waterstones.com

Waterstone's says it will stock it in its UK city and large town branches, which is great news! I am now targeting all the relevant media in those areas.

I am overwhelmed by the positive comments and enthusiasm of most people. It boosts my confidence. Of course there are also set-backs and negative people, but I really try to rise above them.

From the outset, I have gone for a 'clicks-and-mortar' approach to promoting The Commuter's Tale, using the new media and traditional media in equal measure.

As I mentioned in my last blog entry, this has meant me setting up Twitter and Facebook pages for The Commuter's Tale. A weird experience!

I have to admit I really like Twitter. It is easy to build up a decent-sized, relevant group of people and organisations in your network.

I use it to keep a running journal of how the promotion of The Commuter's Tale is going, and to keep its name out there.

I now have 333 followers, and am following 1,993, which I am pretty happy about. What they say can be useful information!

I confess that Facebook I have always avoided and dislike the sound of. Now my book is on it, my suspicions have been confirmed. Like a bad friend, Facebook constantly encourages you to befriend other people and when you try, it tells you off!

It is like the bully who says: 'Go and talk to her (or him). Go on! GO ON!!! You'll always regret it if you don't.' Then, when you get the cold shoulder, the tune has changed to: 'Why did you hassle her? Are you a weirdo or something! Get a life, saddo!'

Currently, after encouraging me to make countless new friends, Facebook has summarily banned me for FOUR DAYS for following its advice.

I preferred it when the geeks just hung around the university computer centre, steaming up their glasses when a pretty girl (or man) walked past!

All the same, Facebook is deeply addictive and The Commuter's Tale by Oliver Gozzard currently has 292 people in its group of so-called 'friends', a few of whom I know or could vaguely recognise in bright sunlight.

Even though I am in the sin-bin until at least next Thursday, Facebook is still insanely suggesting 'People I may know', with whom I am supposed to share up to a 100 friends when I have never seen or heard of them!

Perhaps all Facebook did when it came on the scene was expose the meaninglessness of modern 'friendship', and now it is deeply embarrassed about it, and wants 'friends' to be 'genuine friends' and is trying to execute an oxymoronic U-turn.

I don't care a fig. I know my real friends and don't need Facebook's help to identify them. Besides, it was the book who joined, not me! And to add to my woes, I also hurt my right foot and I have been limping around like Lord Byron!

Reflection time over! I must get on with my letter-writing and emailing!

Back the book! You won't regret it!

Buy here

Here are quotes from reviews and comments so far:

‘Oliver Gozzard approached this challenge with initiative and a sense of humour’ Chocolat author Joanne Harris

‘I just couldn't do it justice!’ Jeremy Paxman

‘I am delighted to supportThe Commuter’s Tale, and wish it every success’ Transport Minister Norman Baker

‘A rollicking odyssey of joy’ Radio 4 poet Elvis McGonagall

‘Belloc meets Byron meets Chaucer’ Veteran performance poet Attila the Stockbroker

‘A dramatic yarn’ Tim Cornwell, The Scotsman

‘Penned entirely on the train’ Brighton Argus

‘The iambic pentameter of his stanzas neatly calls to mind the reassuring rhythm of the railway’ Viva Lewes

‘Challengingly set in 200 stanzas, all inspired by the life and work of Byron, and all written by Gozzard on his daily commute’ Lewes People

‘In an age of celebrity trash books and misery memoirs, this is a brilliant and truly stunning piece of work that did what the greatest work always does - transported me away totally from the mundane and every day and put me back in touch with joy of language and story telling. Gozzard plays with us and plays with language too - just for the joy of it. And it really is a joy!’ John Eckersley, World of Urko

‘I enjoyed your book very, very much – it’s clever and witty and kept surprising me’ Girl on the 7.42, blogger and Viva Lewes columnist

‘An epic ballad’ The Poet Laura-eate

‘Definitely one not to be missed!’ Tom Quinn, Amazon

‘It had me hooked and wanting more’ Daily Star’s John McJannet

‘A rattling good yarn in poetic verse’ L. King, Amazon

‘A burst of light for commuters during these dark days and troubled times. . . commuters reading it will chortle and may even sigh, inspired as they face another day in the office, and more game for a laugh as they leave it. Thank you, Oliver Gozzard, for bringing Chaucer to life in the 21st century. I much enjoyed this work, and want to to see more’ Lucian Hudson, Amazon

The Commuter's Tale by Oliver Gozzard

The New Year will bring an event I have long looked forward to - the launch of my first book, The Commuter's Tale by Oliver Gozzard.

The book - published by Desert Hearts - has resulted from almost three years of hard effort: writing, editing, planning - conducted on my regular train between Lewes and London Victoria.

In fact, even more perspiration than that has gone into this project.

I have wanted to publish a book for more than a decade and spent a great deal of time in the late 1990s and early 2000s writing a novel, The Phophet's Chamber, which has still to see the light of day! However without that effort, The Commuter's Tale would never have been written.

Of course the build-up to the launch - on Lord Byron's 223rd birthday on 22 January 2011 - is a frantic one.

First I am hoping to build up web presence before I try to hit the conventional media with it.

So far, so good. Steerforth has written about it on his excellent blog, Age of Uncertainty in which he also talks about my poetry club, Lewes Poetry.

In a bit of a first, he interviewed me for his blog at the Lewes Arms and recorded me reading a passage from The Commuter's Tale.

I have also set up a page for it on my own site, Oliver's Poetry with information about the plot and quotes about it from the "famous"!

And the The Poet Laura-eate has also generously written about it on her excellent blog.

In terms of book shops, it is already avaiable for pre-order on Desert Hearts, Amazon and Waterstone's, which I am hoping will also take it in its shops.

Even a Swedish supplier, Bokus has started offering it.

I have been a reluctant blogger this year but with the book coming out this is going to change! I will charting my ups and downs in this tricky but exciting process.

If you would like to write about The Commuter's Tale for your blog, just drop me a line and I will email you a taster or the full text, and other information. Spread the word!

P.S. I have set up a Commuter's Tale Twitter site at:
http://twitter.com/commuterstale

Southover Bonfire Society 2010

Another year, another memorable Lewes Bonfire celebration!

My old friend Melanie Knight, who grew up in Lewes in the 1970s and early 1980s, emailed me while I was doing my Rocket FM show to say that the bonfire societies used to blow up controversial figures such as Margaret Thatcher, but she guessed it was not allowed any more!

I am not so sure. Some of this year's effigies seemed more extreme than ever!

There was the disgraceful business of a Lewes bonfire society (not Southover, I stress) blowing up an effigy of the judge who rightly jailed the firework factory owner and his son who were found to be "grossly negligent" in relation to the disaster in which two firefighters died.

I was shocked to read about that. The society involved was even claiming that there had been a miscarriage of justice, and the factory owner and his son should go free (although its chairman later apologised and an investigation has been launched within that society).

I would certainly not have been very happy if I'd been a member of that society.

Fortunately, I am in Southover - and the Southover Bonfire Society's celebration were very enjoyable. It was an excellent night.

I was slightly puzzled as to why the current pontiff, Pope Benedict XVI, was chosen as the subject for an effigy.

Although a Roman Catholic, I was not offended.

But it was hard to see how the current Pope could be regarded as an "enemy of bonfire". He is never down the King's Head causing trouble!

It was easier to understand why a journalist, who had suggested that Lewes was an intolerant place, had been chosen, although no doubt he had been only expressing what he felt at that moment, rather like the tableaux makers.

Lewes is a peaceful and pleasant place to live, and the steam that Lewesians let off on the Fifth is undoubtedly part of the reason for that.

So, provided the tableaux are not totally crass and insensitive (such as the one by Firle Bonfire Society a few years back or this year's judge one), it is probably best not to take the tabs too seriously.

I think what is great about Bonfire is the spirit of comaraderie between the people involved and the people watching, and its rememblance of those lost.

Anyway, here are some pictures from Southover's celebrations this year (with some of the Cliffe marching through our manor!)

I feel our little part of Lewes can feel proud of its Bonfire Society and the way it marched on The Fifth 2010.

Advance, Southover!

Oliver's Poetry