Friday, March 5, 2010

Twitter ye not

As Frankie Howerd would have said. But I did Twitter. Or, rather, I tweeted, to enter Unity Books’ 21st birthday competition – and won a $200 book voucher. Of course, I have to spend it all at Unity Books which means going up to bloody Auckland again, but still. Mustn’t be churlish.

While I’m in boasting mode, the NZ Portrait Gallery tell me they want to put me, or rather a painting of me by Mary McIntyre, in an exhibition in April, and Paddy Richardson’s crime novel Hunting Blind is top of the NZ bestseller list this week. This is the second novel I’ve worked on that has got to #1, and even though the credit is all Paddy’s it’s still a thrill.

So it has been a good week all round. Excuse me while I nip out and buy a Lotto ticket.

7 comments:

homepaddock said...

Consider yourselve toasted in Central Otago's finest pinot for your achievements.

Phil said...

Huzzah! You jammy bastard

Stephen Stratford said...

Thank you, Home Paddock, that is a most appropriate way to celebrate.

And as for you, Phil, you have just been boasting on your blog about slurping your way through a pile of Dry River. Jammy bastard yourself, then.

Phil said...

You are welcome to join the wine tastings Mr. Stratford - but it will involve visiting the odious Queen City

Stephen Stratford said...

Thanks Phil. We did used to go to the Dry River tastings when we lived in the Odious big city - they were held at Lauraine Jacobs's husband's office so there was always the bonus of seeing Lauraine as well as slurping the good stuff - but a two-hour drive does seem a long way to go for a drink. Even for one as good as Dry River,

Chad Taylor said...

Congratulations on the book success and being, er, hung.

(Frankie Howerd is scary.)

Stephen Stratford said...

Thanks Chad. First I have to deliver the painting to the curator in Ponsonby who will then pass it on to whoever packs the show to send it to Wellington.

But I'm sure that whoever is in charge at the gallery will ensure that I am well hung. There is a first time for everything.