On edits and elbow

From May 2024, a week after I had sent a manuscript in

Last Thursday (yes, this is a six-days-later newsletter, for the first time ever, and evermore, probably) I wrote,

Now, I wait; I will have little panicky moments but mostly I’m interested and excited to see what my editor has to say and how we can improve things.

In excellent news, my editor has read the new book (I will be able to tell you more about it soon, I promise—we want to share the title, cover and publication date at the same time). In excellent-er news (the grammar well remains pretty dry), she loves it! So now I await her notes, ready for an edit. I am delighted and excited.

Last week I also wrote,

I always imagine that when I’ve sent a book in I will float around in a frothy dress, thinking beautiful thoughts and eating delicious things.

I did not exactly do this. But I did go to see elbow at Newcastle City Hall with my Dad.

(Yes, I did buy a t-shirt then immediately change into it.)

The two best things about this: elbow are AWESOME (here’s my favourite song, and writers, here are the lyrics, and a masterclass in how to tell a story in two timeframes), and going to gigs with my Dad is something that I have always loved and treasured.

And the third best thing: they were playing at Newcastle City Hall, which has been hosting events since 1927. So when you go in and take your seat, you’re surrounded by people talking about all of the other times they have been here and all the bands they have seen. Waiting for elbow to take the stage on Saturday, I heard the people around us mention Bowie, the Rolling Stones, Lloyd Cole and the Commotions (okay that was me), Victoria Wood, Ross Noble, The Human League, Rammstein, and so many more. My first time was seeing The Osmonds with my Grandma in 1980. I can still remember exactly where we sat.