3, 2, 1, Zero Moment!
Posted on 07. Feb, 2010 by susie in books i've been reading, kids' books i've been reading
Joshua Files launch: Agent Peter Cox, MG Harris and BBC Oxford's Bill Heine
In a change from our regularly scheduled bacon sarnies, this week I got to hear good mate MG Harris nattering about books in a slightly more glam context. The launch party for the third Joshua Files book, Zero Moment, transformed Oxford Blackwell’s into a riot of excited readers and luminous cake. MG even dished a big secret about Book 5! Now, if only I can persuade her to give me her Lime Cheesecake cupcake recipe…
I confess, I snagged an early preview so I read this a while ago – but gosh, Zero Moment really does live up to its limited-edition glowing green cover. If you’re not up to speed with all things Joshua File-y, I suggest you kidnap the nearest 11-year-old boy and insist he fills you in. (Then let him go again: it’s only polite.) Josh leaves Oxford for Mexico once again, with Mum and Tyler along for the trip, but a thrilling buggy ride across the sand ends in disaster. This time Josh isn’t the one in obvious danger – but while he’s chasing one set of bad guys, there’s another lot closing in. Throw in some nifty time-travel and a car chase on a winding Swiss mountain pass that will leave you utterly breathless, and you have, undubitably, the best Joshua book yet – and that’s high praise indeed.
The downside of having finished the first draft of The Poppy Project is that this week I had to read it. Ugh. AL Kennedy sums up the state of mind beautifully in this weekend’s Guardian: could do better.
Discovering that Wii swordfighting brings out my, um, forceful tendencies; watching so much BSG that I sincerely pondered the potential charm of an invisible blonde giant whispering in Poppy’s ear all through draft number 2; lamenting the de-relaxation properties of cancelled yoga classes.
10 Responses to “3, 2, 1, Zero Moment!”
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My dear, you do take the most flattering photos of me and Mr Cake! Darling Husband snagged only a couple where I don’t look like a bushpig but none as nice as this…
Thrilled that you enjoyed it so much, the book the party, thanks for being such a great pal and listening to me drone on….
Oh pish, missis: you looked fabulous (authorly radiance + cleavage = win). Fab evening had by all, I reckon.
That wasn’t droning, trust me. You wait till March when I’m weeping over my deadline…
And boots. Don’t forget the boots.
Is BSG Battlestar Galactica? (I’m guessing not British Society of Gastroenterology, or Bournemouth School for Girls.) I’m sure it doesn’t have tinfoil spacesuits any more, but where to the giants come in? (BSG)
Yep, Battlestar Galactica. (You’re reminding me of attending APC meetings, which had nothing to do with Armed Personnel Carriers, alas.) The giant is a nine-foot-tall blonde Cylon with somewhat iffy taste in clothes. I think a tinfoil spacesuit might be preferable really.
You know, I’m actually finding that dress quite embarrassing. Not sure what that says about me.
It’s not just you: she’s supposed to be a creepy sexbot fantasy sort of thing (at least initially). Well, I hope so. Maybe having hair that looks like string does it for some people.
the boots are definitely a plus. they put MG at the centre of attention! Thanks for the heads up on Josh book – off to Amazon now at the insistence of my own brand of 11-yr old boy. Quote from yesterday: “My bum just screamed at me” (he’d farted). Lovely.
Wii swordfighting was v big in this family just after Christmas so that all our arms were aching and we couldn’t lift a cup of tea for days. Be warned.
Not embarrassing that way! Just I wish she’d put it away embarrassing.
The cake looks much more alarming here…