Why we love London

Artwork by Tony DiTerlizzi 

Sarah and I try to meet up at least once a month in town for book swapping, book talking, writerly talking and book buying.

Yesterday we were joined by the ever cool Caroline from Portrait of a Woman website.  We met up at Foyles where we said "hi" to Neil who was busy doing grown up bookseller things and left us to our own devices. <>

We systematically worked our way along the YA shelves, chatting all the way, choosing various books.  Then we moved around the corner and worked our way along the younger bookshelves and helped two mums decide what picture books to buy.  We recommended THE BOY WHO CRIED NINJA and Mini Grey's THREE BY THE SEA and some others.  The mums were very happy and pootled off to buy the swathes of books we suggested.

Then we had a quick yet lazy bite to eat at the very nice Soho Nando's after which we made our way to Forbidden Planet which was heaving!  En route we passed a queue of around 50 people standing outside the fancy dress shop, Angels, on Shaftesbury.  This amused us.

We got to FP and it was heaving - I mean FAR more than usual.  Everyone was there buying and talking and hanging around.  Upstairs they had some FX guys demonstrating some great make-up effects.  Downstairs they had a graphic novelist doing a book signing.  So yes, it was busy.  Caroline met a nice man, I saw Icarus and of course we bought more books.  Then when we got outside, I spotted the very lovely Jim (James) Swallow and I introduced him to the girls.  Jim is one of the nicest people I have ever met - he always has interesting stories to tell and is incredibly encouraging towards aspiring writers.  It was a great random "hello" to a favourite person and as we waved him off,we decided we needed fortification in the shape of some tea.  Then we all ran home!

Here are some pictures to illustrate our cool day out and about.

Turns out Sarah (left) and Caroline (not left) share the same gelaskin obsession

Caroline wondering if this nice man may need some concealer...and breath mints

This Icarus shaped man took my money in Forbidden Planet and I quite fancy that beard...

The books we bought between the 3 of us

Mysteriously mysterious - All Hallow's Eve Read

I am not 100% sure who sent us these mysterious parcels.

Both came in one envelope addressed to both Mark and myself.  With no return address.  Each parcel was wrapped beautifully in thick black paper.  On the front it said this:

On the back was this:

Where did they come from?  Who sent them on?  The mysterious All Hallows Eve Reading Fairy?  Well if it was him / her I am very grateful and pleased because they are two very cool random and exciting books.

Check it:

I have no idea who sent this - and suspect it may be part of the All Hallows Read Eve thing that's going around - yay! - so in return, I will be leaving two horror books in two random places today as part of All Hallows Read Eve and the Guardian Book Swap.

Because it is important to do random cool things.