It’s been a while since we spoke. Last time I mentioned that a publisher wrote a comment on my Instagram that they were going to publish a book that I sort of wrote with my mentor Simone Lia. I thought they were joking but it turns out that they weren’t! I’ve seen, held and sniffed the advance copy and its coming out on September 18th. I’m even going to have a launch party and everything at Gosh! comics in London. I can’t believe it.
The book is called How to Make Life Better When it Feels Like it’s Getting Worse. I thought it would be good to write a self-help book and also find the answers to the title because being frank when I look at the news it does feel like things are getting worse. It started off as a self-help book but then veered more into a memoir but I still think it might be useful and the publisher liked it enough to publish it. I know you’re not supposed to toot your own horn, but it’s really good and if you like me I think you’ll like my book. I can’t take all the credit because my mentor did quite a bit too.
The other thing I was going to say was way back in March when I wrote my first song, a very cool woman who is a DJ called Eleni Poulou said she’d play my song on her radio show in Berlin. I thought she was joking. For context, she plays progressive experimental music that makes you feel like you’re in another world that is a better than this one and so when she actually did play my track (repeated twice) I was in a daze and a trance for several weeks afterwards.
That happened and now with this book publication, I feel like things might be possible and I might even meet some of my goals for the year. Apart from the buying the house goal, maybe. That might have been unrealistic — although I did for a brief time think my share of the advance might cover it but there’s no way that would happen unless I get a time machine and travel back to the 1950s. There’s a couple of other things on that list that are looking iffy now too (growing carrots and reading a book) but I’m trying to focus on the positives.
The other thing I haven’t updated you with is that I’ve been working as an Estate Agent at a place called Truepenny’s. Yes! I have a job. I’ve never had a job before and so it was really exciting when they said yes after my interview. Annoyingly in the interview I offered to work only on commission and seeing as I’ve only had one client who wanted to sell a dolls house for charity — my payment will be zero. So in affect, I’m doing more voluntary work. It’s all ok though, my dad has stopped hassling me since I showed him the book that I’ve got coming out and he’s glad that I’m ‘making an effort’.
This is a story from my first day at work as an Estate agent:
The last few weeks Truepenny’s told me that I could work from home instead of coming into the office but they haven’t given me any work to do so it sort of feels like I don’t work there. Also, I haven’t even managed to sell the one thing I’m supposed to sell, hopefully they’ll put my advert up in their window soon. Will let you know if that happens.
Other news, I did some work experience in a nursery called Myatt Gardens. I didn’t think I’d get on too well with that because children often pick me up and give me cuddles when I least expect it, but there was none of that. I had lots of great conversations and the children helped me with the work I was supposed to do. They were such fun colleagues. The we had a team meeting with all the children and the teacher got us thinking about how we could solve the problems in our life, like using a zip on a coat and things. I was so impressed with everyone that I’d happily go to that nursery as a pupil if that were an option.
I should round this up. If you have any comments or feedback or an actual job, please let me know. Also if you’d like to pre-order my book apparently that helps. Also, my mentor is going to be at the Cape Mini Con, I’ll be going but I’ll be in the audience. Hopefully see you there!
