|
Report Number 16
JULY 2004
Nowadays
I don’t have a friendly local bank manager . . .
There was one day recently when Michael Motley, the wonderful agent,
sold two books Robert Hale bought “Death and the D’Urbervilles”, my second
full-length Tudor Cornwall mystery in the morning and in the afternoon Graham
Coster of Aurum Press rang to say that he would like a definitive re-working of
the biography of Denis Compton I wrote, with Denis’s co-operation, about ten
years ago. In addition my researches on Princess Margaret moved steadily
forward, I sailed on with “A Death on the Ocean Wave”, my third Tudor
Cornwall, and plans for the new travel monthly advanced as well. I even have a
title – “Consulting Editor”, which I rather like.
You
could be forgiven for thinking that all this activity translated into financial
security or even modest affluence. Alas no. Payments of almost every kind seem
to get more and more modest and later and later. I don’t think I want to be
over-specific having been brought up to believe that too much talk about money
was rather vulgar, but I thought one or two pieces of chapter and verse might be
worth sharing. Going through my quarterly VAT figures I noticed that an
agent’s cheque seemed not to have been paid into my bank account. On enquiry I
was told that it had been posted by the agent (not Michael Motley but a
predecessor) but not received by my bank branch, which is still in South West
London as my bank has no branch in Fowey The explanation was
that it must have been “lost in the post”. My accountant then spotted that a
VAT payment from a national newspaper had not been received even though my words
had been published in March. At the time of writing in early August the money
has still not been received and the reason given is that the relevant person in
the accounts department has been “busy”. (I think I’ve been pretty busy
too but that’s obviously different). Michael and his New York associate, Jane
Chelius, have also sold
the American large print rights to
“Death and the Visiting Fellow”. This is gratifying even though I am
slightly unnerved at the idea that only Americans with failing eye-sight are
interested in my writing but of course it’s not as simple as it sounds. In
order to collect the money I have to register and acquire a special number from
the American tax authorities. Through the internet and the indefatigable Motley
I got the relevant form and faxed it off to the States. Have I heard back?
Don’t be ridiculous.
I
think I’m right in thinking that in the past these problems would have been
sympathetically by my friendly local bank manager though this may be a romantic
re-working of history. Nowadays I don’t have a friendly local bank manager and
well, let’s just say that my bank in particular (and banks in general?) seems
to have become a different sort of animal.
FYI I
am speaking (twice!) at the Falmouth Festival on Saturday September 12th
(biography and cricket) and at the St. Ives festival on Monday 14th September
(Royalty). On the Thursday of the Lord’s test against the West Indies I signed
copies of “Village cricket” at the shop near the Grace Gates. Not as good as
actually playing on the great ground but as near to that as I shall ever get.
We’re beginning to plan next year’s du Maurier Festival. Mary Thomas has
asked if I’ll do a QE2 next year. And the Cornish festival people in South
Australia are/were interested. I like doing this sort of thing but am
disappointed at how little thought seems to go into the planning of programmes.
Of course it’s fun to be asked to speak on cruises and at festivals but it’s
so much more fun when you feel that events have really been thought through and
you’re part of something which has been seriously planned.
Which, I guess, brings me back to the
magazine. Penny, the second Mrs. Heald, thinks it’s tempting fate to talk
about such projects when they’re still embryonic. I, on the other hand, feel
that if they fail and you haven’t discussed them then the whole project has
been a complete waste. There are some things I’m not allowed to talk about for
obvious reasons but I think it’s looking surprisingly encouraging. If we can
get a modest amount of launch money we’ll begin publication at the end of the
year. Chris Meakin and I have already put together an impressive menu for Issue
One. Everyone is enthusiastic and the whole concept of a travel magazine for
grown-ups seems to be striking a chord. In a sense I find it depressing but I
suddenly realise that it’s now over forty years since I was first involved in
the successful launch of a national magazine (Sixth Form Opinion in 1961) and
that I’ve been writing travel pieces since the sixties as well – Tunisia and
Sicily for the Spectator in 62, I think, and the opening of the Tel Aviv Hilton
for the Sunday Times in 1965. Hey, suddenly I’m a veteran! Seriously
though, it’s important not to come across as a grumpy old Geoffrey Boycott
figure and we’re
signing up some terrific writers in their twenties and thirties. On the other
hand, I’ve
been around a long time and I’m insatiably curious and always have been. So I
know stuff that most people don’t…watch this space!
Tim Heald
July 2004
| Buy
Tim's books from:
|
 |
|
|
