Books and Fests and Tours, oh my!

The last two weeks have been a real milestone. I had a book published both here and in the States, I was a guest on the BBC Radio 2 Arts Show with Jonathan Ross and we celebrated the 2016 Twin Peaks UK Festival. Phew!

So in order of crazy brilliant things happening; 'Damn Fine Cherry Pie', my first work to be published, was released to the public on November 3rd in the UK and November 15th in the States. Just before the book was released it was confirmed that Waterstones, Foyles, BFI and Forbidden Planet were taking my book. I really couldn't believe that these highly popular places were actually going to be selling my work!

Waterstones popped it into their shops a few days early and I couldn't resist popping into the Tottenham Court Road branch to have a look; and there it was in all it's shiny red, Cherry Pie adorned beauty! And as if that wasn't exciting enough, they had placed it right next to 'The Secret History of Twin Peaks', the latest (and highly anticipated) offering from Twin Peaks co-creator Mark Frost!

The same day the book was released I was invited onto the BBC Radio 2 Arts Show hosted by Jonathan Ross. I was to be on the same programme as Ade Edmondson, yes Ade 'Young Ones' Edmondson! After taking several hours to digest this information my excitement was reaching an all time high. How incredible that I have been given the opportunity to do this. Yes I know I've worked myself to exhaustion point for 20 years and some may say it's hard work paying off, but I still consider all of this wonderful stuff to be a blessing. I was asked to make something for Jonathan Ross from my cookbook so I choose the decadent Coconut Cheesecake. On entering the studio I offered the cheesecake to Jonathan who was busy finishing his lunch - glad I managed to bring dessert! To put in plainly, I had great fun! Turns out I'm very relaxed and chatty on the radio and actually found myself almost in conversation with an old friend. Jonathan was a great host and a big Twin Peaks fan and told me stories of hanging out with David Lynch while the second season was filming (slightly hated him at this point). We ate cheesecake live on air and talked about the return of Twin Peaks, David Lynch's work and, of course, 'Damn Fine Cherry Pie'. The producer of the show came down to the festival a week later and enjoyed the Lynchian experience for herself! Thanks for having me guys, I had an absolute ball!

Hornsey Town Hall Arts Centre played host to the Twin Peaks UK Festival this year and, well, what a venue! Rooms, corridors, stairways to god knows where and a cracking team that are passionately bringing this listed building back to it's former glory. It suited our little fest down the ground and really enabled us to create some damn fine spaces for the Peakies.

It was only right that we had 'The Secret History of Twin Peaks' on sale at the Twin Peaks UK Festival this year. We worked with Mark Frost's UK publishers who in turn worked with my publishers to join forces and sell both our books at the fest.

We were joined by Vivian Archer from the fabulous Newham Bookshop, one of London's best independent book stores, and she worked tirelessly to promote both books to the Twin Peaks fans. She was a joy to have at the festival and was very pleased when she informed me that I had outsold Mark Frost! Ha! (Sorry Mark if you're reading this!). If you are ever in Upton Park be sure to pop into Newham Bookshop on the Barking Road as there's not many like that left. It's actually owned by the community who all help to run it - just incredible.

Last year was such a huge festival especially for the 25th anniversary, that, for 2016, we wanted to create a fest that was more about the fans and their relationships with each other and their favourite TV show. Each year I am so pleased to see so many familiar faces walking through our doors. And I'm so proud that my team and I have contributed to all of these wonderful friendships that have been formed within the Twin Peaks community. This festival has always been about the fans and always will be.

And so 300 Peakies from all around the world landed in Crouch End to this historic venue and were treated to elements of The Great Northern Hotel, Twin Peaks Town Hall and The Roadhouse. They were also invited to participate in festival activities such as the donut eating competition, the costume contest, the quiz, the screaming log, the giant chess pawn....have I exhausted you yet? We were lucky enough to have permission to screen the new documentary 'Blue Velvet Revisited' and also screened, what is often referred to as Lynch's masterpiece, 'Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me'.

And no Twin Peaks UK Festival would be completed without the very special stars of the show themselves. This year Ian Buchanan (Dick Tremayne) and Chris Mulkey (Hank Jennings) joined us in London and were nothing less than a perfect riot! Chris entertained the crowd with his musical offerings, even inviting one of the Peakies on stage to duet with him; and Ian Buchanan was ever the perfect gentleman with so much time for all the fans.

They really gave their all for the fest and the fans and so to say thank you, I took them on a walking tour of the old City of London on the Sunday evening and rounded off their trip with a curry in Brick Lane. Damn fine food, damn fine company, damn fine fest!

And so now I've taken a few well deserved days to myself just to contemplate all the wonderful brilliance of the last couple of weeks. Next....just a UK tour of a well known American puppet company to organise!

Enjoy a few pics from the 2016 Twin Peaks UK Festival!