Skyped by Debby Reynolds!

A few days ago I received a skype message from someone called Debby Reynolds, requesting my details so we could talk. I couldn't honestly think of anyone I knew called Debby Reynolds, so I ignored it. But the message kept coming back. I told Rachel about it. I believe it's best to be open about these things if, as a man, you find yourself being contacted by strange women. Then if it ever gets to the bunny-boiling stage, you can say, "But you remember, I told you all about it."

Anyhow, as Rachel's been paying a bit more attention to the TV news than me, she pointed out that someone called Debby Reynolds, with that same spelling, is the government's chief veterinary officer - and is the person at the centre of the current foot and mouth storm.

Could it be the same person?

Well, I took my mystery to a writers' group discussion board and someone (thanks caro55) pointed out that there is a top New Zealand expert on foot and mouth, a certain Professor Roger Morris, who is the government's adviser on the disease!

This has absolutely nothing to do with books, except that it occurs to me that Debby Reynolds might think The Gentle Axe is a book about a more humane method of slaughtering?

This is all true, but of course the reason I mention it in my blog is... well, those of you who know my devious promotional methods can probably work it out.

Gentle Reader's guide

Those good folk at Penguin US have now posted a set of reader's notes together with an interview on the Penguin website. You'll find it here.

Novidades!!!!!

The Portuguese (Brazilian) edition of Gentle Axe is now out, published by Planeta. No nifty little animated adverts, but a Brazilian friend has read the first chapter and tells me it's "very good".

In other novidades, it seems that there's now a paperback edition of Taking Comfort available on amazon.co.uk. All they're asking is £6.24. Bargain!