Runaway Steam Train

Image: Aussiegall

Hope you all enjoyed yesterday with Michelle Miles – isn’t she a wonderfully spirited and entertaining author?

Yesterday saw the temperature finally drop to more acceptable levels. Tuesday was cloudy but still extremely humid, but yesterday, thank goodness, was far more bearable. It’s such a relief, because the last thing I enjoy is having to walk around in such heat wearing my black trousers, boots and work shirt. Not pleasant and only leads to smells and stickiness.

I received an odd email from Lulu; my book had been “selected for Amazon”. It didn’t say which one, and I know FRINGE FANTSTIC is already available so I assumed it would be STELLA. Turns out it was for POOLSIDE POETRY. Excellent!

SLICK was rejected by Black and White Publishing here in Leith; don’t know what they’ve done, if you ask me, but hey, bring ‘em on!

I submitted a poem to a competition and sent back out my short story, THE ENGLISH TEACHER to a magazine. Fingers crossed.

I’ve had four positive responses to book review queries I’ve sent out so far. The promo machine is cranking away nicely now, well oiled and puffing steam clouds at a steady rate.

I’m delighted to be sponsoring the 2009 Poetry Super Highway Poetry Contest again, through two separate channels. On an individual basis I’ve offered two signed copies of FRINGE FANTASTIC, and as editor of the Ranfurly Review, I’ve offered a feature in the December issue, just as I did last year.

Check out this brilliant little film about Flip Flops in Kenya, called Flip Flotsam – it features poetry from the wonderful Elspeth Murray.

If you’re feeling charitable my younger sister, Lindsay (aka Binny Bag of the Baggers Tribe) is running in this weekend’s Race for Life to raise money for Cancer Research UK, and would really welcome some financial support. You can donate online by Paypal, credit or debit card, at the following address: http://www.raceforlifesponsorme.org/lindsaygalbraith

I had to agree with Paolo Nutini’s comments in the Evening Times about the ridiculous state Paisley has been allowed to degenerate into.

PAISLEY-born like me, he said: “Something has happened to Paisley. It’s just about to fall down” and that the council should be “ashamed for themselves.” He said: “The mentality is – let’s build more student accommodation and knock down more landmark buildings, that’s a good idea. Let’s turn Paisley into a housing estate off Glasgow. People used to come into Paisley for a night out. But there is nothing to do now. It’s bad for drink and drugs and gambling.”

I couldn’t agree more. Paisley isn’t fashionable or popular any longer and has become a built of a ghost town. I still have a major soft spot for it – always have done, having lived in it, attended university in it, and had more nights out than I care to remember in it. It’s a crying shame given its history.

And what was Derek Mackay’s response, the SNP councillor and leader of Renfrewshire Council? “My challenge to Paolo is come and meet us and learn about what we intend to do to regenerate the area.”

Here’s my challenge to Derek Mackay: Get off your fat arse and stop talking about what you WILL do and actually DO IT!