Virginia Ironside Reads & Signs April 7, 2008

Virginia Ironside has this to say in her about her upcoming United States tour:

"I'm getting very keyed-up about my forthcoming trip to the States to publicise the paperback version of No! I Don't Want to Join a Bookclub. One moment I can't wait to get out there, looking forward to meeting new people and seeing new cities. The next, I'm dreading it, imagining long lonely mornings sitting in a Holiday Inn bedroom with nothing to entertain me except a Gideon Bible and a thousand rubbish television channels. Followed by long waits at airports where I am frisked from top to toe in case I'm a terrorist. Interspersed with the odd talk at a bookshop to which no one turns up except a couple of stony-faced old ducks of ninety with sticks and frowns. Very worried about what I Can and Cannot Say, too. Can I use the F word (I only want to use it once)? Can I mention death as something to look forward to? I have this very ridiculous stereotypical view of all Americans as being very warm, generous, open, but also all being evangelical Christians and very disapproving underneath. I am just so longing to be proved wrong.

And will everyone say: 'Have a nice day'? I think it was a rather sour Englishman who would reply: 'Thank you, but I have other plans.' I feel like a terrified child who's been asked to a party and whose mother keeps saying: "But it'll be lovely once you get there." Which I'm pretty certain it will. But it doesn't stop me hanging back, trembling with anxiety.

At least it will be a change from all being in freezing old London and meeting people who keep saying: 'And what are you working on now?' I sometimes wonder if anyone, except writers, understands about writing books. I know some just churn them out at a rate of a couple of novels a year, but I need to want to write a book before I can get down to it. And although I can think of hundreds of plots and scenarios, at the end of the day I know that if I did get down to it and write another one -- and I've written around 15 already - , it would be the kind of book I open at a bookshop and think: "Hmm... looks well-written, amusing... cleverish...but I don't think I'll ever read it."

I'm not comparing myself to Sir Christopher Wren of course, but do you think that when he'd finished designing St. Paul's cathedral in London, everyone came up to him and said: 'And tell me, Sir Christopher, what are you working on now?'"

As you can read, she's great fun. I think you're all going to enjoy meeting her very much.

Virginia Ironside was originally scheduled to visit Rakestraw last spring, but illness caused her tour to be postponed. We are all extremely delighted to welcome her to Rakestraw Books as we celebrate the paperback publication of No! I Don't Want to Join a Book Club on Tuesday, 7 April 2008 at 7 PM. And, since the book is perfect for book club discussion, bring your group and join us for this very special event.

Official Website: http://www.rakestrawbooks.com