Vote for Councillor Adje.

It was a week ago today that I did my reading in Hornsey Library. Haven't written it up yet - except to leave a brief comment below.

My excuse is I've been a bit busy with other stuff (there's stuff besides plogging? surely not?). Plus I've had a bad back which has limited the amount of time I can spend comfortably sitting in front of a computer. I've been just about able to check my amazon rating, maybe the sitemeter as well, before falling onto my knees and clutching my cheap Ikea office chair - not out of affection, or any Rob Saunders-like need for comfort, but just because it was the nearest thing available. Anyhow, a friend has given me the number of an osteopath, so I hope to sort that out soon. Thank you Clive.

The reading went well, I think. There were people there. Some familiar, friendly faces, but members of the general public too. The best indicator of how it went was the question and answer session afterwards, which went on for quite some time - and actually had to be cut short by Bill from the library, so that we could all make an impression on the wine.

(Incidentally, Bill told me that the library had taken eight copies (I think he said eight!) and that six had gone out straight away. I was pretty chuffed about that.)

A group of writers from the local word4word writers' group were very interested in the whole Macmillan New Writing initiative. I pointed them at Will, the editor from MNW who had turned up, and saw some frantic scribbling of email addresses.

A lady came all the way from Wood Green. She'd seen a poster in the library there. She bought a book and very kindly said she was going to recommend it to her reading group.

Someone else who turned up was the leader of Haringey Council, Councillor Charles Adje. A very nice man. A very very nice man. He didn't stay for the reading itself (we're in the middle of an election campaign after all) but he did stay long enough to buy a book and have me sign it. Given that no one from any of the other parties turned up, and given that he was also prepared to have a smile (I wouldn't say 'laugh') about what was going on in national politics, he's got my vote.

As Jeremy Hardy has said, voting Labour at the moment is a bit like wiping your arse. Not a particularly pleasant thing to do, but the alternative is far worse.

Anyhow, that's enough politics. Charles Adje for Prime Minister, I say.