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Apologies for the month-long hiatus. It's been a busy few weeks, but a happy few weeks as well, in the sense that it's a huge relief to have the book out and be able to watch it make its way in the world, even if there are few stumbles along the way.

Most of the people I've spoken to over the last month will, at some point, ask how the book's going, to which I don't always know what to say. The publishers don't really give you a daily update on sales as they don't have one themselves - though you can check your amazon sales ranking. Obsessively. This can only end in tears. No matter how high you soar there comes a point, even if your first initials are J. K. and you have a thing about wizards, that your rating begins to drop, and the unbearable helplessness of knowing there's sweet fa you can do to try and turn the tide, short of buying the book yourself, makes Amazon sales-ranking-checking a Bad Thing To Get Hooked On. And yes, I've been there.

There have been a handful of reviews so far, including one by Tina Jackson in Metro, and the nicest one yet in the TLS, by Josh Raymond. Sadly I can't find it online. The pull-out quote was: 'an intelligent and encouraging piece of writing.' Thelondonpaper did a Q and A, Gay Times liked it, so did Vogue, Tatler, Traveller Magazine and the Western Daily Press. However, Harry Mount in the Literary Review did not. More on that and how some (often more conservative) reviewers can turn against it later.

Articles I've done concerning the book - there's one about hermits, most of all Sue Woodcock and Tom Leppard that appeared yesterday in the Independent on Sunday. Several to follow in the coming weeks.

People in the book - Chris Eubank has just put his kids up for adoption. King Arthur started a protest outside Stone Henge, after performing a ceremony to make sure there was no rain during Glastonbury (which seems to have worked). Vivienne Westwood walked out of the Sex and the City premiere, saying there was nothing remotely memorable or interesting about what she saw. I love her for that. The film is apparently one long product placement for a number of different labels, including hers. Sebastian Horsley's book Dandy in the Underworld got an excellent and sympathetic review in the Guardian which, as he has since explained, means his life is essentially over. 'It's now one long descent into respectability.' We're doing our talk together at Camp Bestival at 8.40, Friday 18 July. In the Comedy Tent. Help.

More later in the week I think



Also here's a snap of Pete Doherty I took last year. He played a great set at Glastonbury, apparently. Even the Sun liked it..

Vivienne Westwood show

There's a show that opens today in Sheffield, at the Millennium Gallery, dedicated to the work of Dame Vivienne Westwood: it's a retrospective of her clothes, a monument to her status as grand dame of British fashion.

Typical of most of the Vivienne references I found while researching the chapter on her in In Search of the English Eccentric is this: "She is one of the most original voices in 20th century fashion," says Claire Wilcox. "She never swam with the tide. In 100 years' time I still think her work will be strong and will speak for itself."

I agree. Although it's a shame that the show doesn't seem to focus on Vivienne herself, and what she stands for. For more, see her manifesto.