Afternoon in Guildford

Just heard on BBC Radio Scotland news that our book has sold out! The presses have run and the second print run is already hitting shops. Ta. — NeverSeconds

Yesterday was very stormy, the previous night heavy rain, last night more heavy rain.

On the train to Guildford, the fields were awash with water.

The River Wey was running very fast, higher than its usual level. I did wonder would it be possible to walk along the River Wey, but it was ok.

In the Hight Street, a very good guitarist, never seen him before. I would have chatted to him, but was on my way for lunch. Sadly when I looked later, he was not there.

Lunch at the Guildford Institute was not very good. A disappointment as on a Friday it is usually very good. I was going to eat elsewhere, and wish I had.

The Guildford Institute Library is a Victorian Library. They trust my recommendations and usually buy in what I suggest. I recommended Reimagining Discipleship and NeverSeconds.

I got a very positive response in Guildford Library. I spoke with a senior librarian. Although he had not heard of NeverSeconds, he agreed it was a book they must have in, and said he would be talking to Surrey to order copies for their libraries. Something Cargo Publishing need to follow up.

I stumbled across an amazing find in a little art gallery. Art by Ronnie Wood and Bob Dylan. It beggared belief that the art gallery had contacted Eagle Radio (a rubbish commercial local radio station that I would not dream of listening to) and they did not want to know.

I looked in the Tourist Information Office and told them what the little art gallery had, as they were not aware.

Waterstones Guildford: No NeverSeconds, not a clue, one copy on order, no idea when it will be in. When I expressed amazement not in stock, not on display, the woman turned unpleasant: I have told you the situation and I am not prepared to continue the conversation. I did though learn 10 copies in Edinburgh, 71 copies Glasgow.

WHSmith: NeverSeconds not in stock, not on on order, never heard of.

For the first time since the Guildford Book Festival, I found the Kobo display manned, not only that, but a man from Kobo there. I decided to miss a train and have a chat.

Kobo is much better made than Nook (which is very cheap and tacky), and it is claimed the Kobo has a better display than Kindle (it would be handy to see side by side).

Kobo seems to be offering a far better deal as it uses ePub, which is an Open Source non-propriety format.

We all agreed it was perverse, Waterstone’s sells Kindle, then forces people to download books from Amazon.

We also agreed, Calibre is a must to manage an e-book library.

Something I did not know, if you buy the Kindle tablet, you are forced to watch commercials, unless you pay extra to opt out, and it restricts what you can access on the net, for example not possible to watch youtube.

Kobo has its own e-bookstore. NeverSeconds please? Not found. Something Cargo Publishing need to follow up.

Yet another fruitless day in the quest to find NeverSeconds.

There is something very very wrong, when not only do our bookshops not have NeverSeconds on display or on the shelves, they do not even have a clue what you are talking about.

Tags: Guildford