G’day, I hope life is treating you well, wherever you may be and whatever you may be doing at this time of year. I’m slaving over a hot computer – not hot as in “stolen” or hot as in “attractive”, but hot as in the keyboard has been burning since Dreamer, Drifter, Drunk arrived from the printers on November 27. I received 222 5.75kg boxes (1.28 tonnes) containing a total of 1997 books (three of the 2,000 print run presumably went directly to the National Library of Australia) that occupy about four cubic metres of the cat-free room.
I was ecstatic to sell 76 copies of Dreamer, Drifter, Drunk at the December 9 book launch at the University of Western Australia Coop Bookshop, with about 100 friends attending. I especially want to thank Alyson (Aly) De Souza and Jan Harkins from the Coop, Glen “Quarters” Quartermain for his superb MCing, and Chris Tuffley, Jahna Spielmanns and Kathy Buchan for running (as opposed to ruining) the “bar”. When I launch my next book, I’ll definitely heed Aly’s catering advice: specifically, “DON’T provide your guests with too much alcohol because there will be plenty left over”. I based my estimates on how much my friends drank in their prime, rather than how little they now drink in this era of health fads, booze buses and general decorum.
At the time of writing, I’ve sold a further 92 copies, with 20 bought by the wonderful Deb Whiting, of Utopia Financial Services, as Christmas presents for her staff. I’d also like to thank Katie de Haer (East Perth Football Club, a.k.a. the Mighty Royals), Dave “Cuddles” Hudleston (Post Newspapers), Gabi Mills (PrimoLife magazine), Quarters (The Sunday Times) and Will Yeoman (The West Australian) for giving Dreamer, Drifter, Drunk some much-needed publicity.
Next step is a “tour” of Perth’s independent bookstores, to convince them to stock Dreamer, Drifter, Drunk. I had planned to do this before Xmas, but was “delayed” consuming the surplus booze from the launch. I also intend giving a few promotional copies to various radio “celebrities”, in the hope that I can land an interview or six. If you want to buy a copy of my book (and I certainly hope you do!), please visit the bottom of the Books page on this website or email me at fitzroypete@yahoo.com.au
All the very best to those who bought books in 2014 and to those who (I hope) will buy books in 2015!