My author’s copies of THE MAN WITH THE IRON-ON BADGE arrived today. There is nothing like opening that box and seeing all those copies of your book. Unlike seeing your writing credit on TV, it’s a moment that never loses its charge. When you can take that book out of the box and stick it on your shelf, that’s when it all becomes real.
To be honest, I had real doubts this day would ever come. There was quite a while there when I wondered if the manuscript was destined to end up in a desk drawer. Even if it had, I couldn’t complain too much — in some ways, it’s been the most financially lucrative novel I’ve written. A script I based on it got me the gig to write the DAME EDNA movie. Although the movie wasn’t made, I wrote the script and the check cleared.
Now that BADGE has come out, and received the best reviews of my career, I figure everything else is gravy.
Hi Lee,
Congrats on the book, it does sound like one of those moments seeing something like that in print.
I also wanted to check, are you talking about the Dame Edna from Oz? Would you be able to tell me more about that? Sorry Aussie here, and would love to hear more if you are able to.
If so, do you know the story about how she gained the Dame title? An interesting tale.
cheers
Dave.
Lee, I read your ARC of Iron-On this week and reviewed it for The Oakland Press. God and my editor are the only ones that know when it’ll come out, but it was a rave. I would argue that anybody who likes Janet Evanovitch’s Stephanie Plum novels would like this one and should run out and get a copy. A hell of a lot of fun and I literally had fits of “the giggles,” several times while reading it, no controlled substances involved. Nice job.
Best,
Mark Terry
As I’ve said before, this book deserves a wide audience. Let’s hope it finds one.
Mark,
Thanks for the rave and the heads-up! I’m so glad you liked it and I’ll look forward to the review.
Bill,
No offense to the fine folks at Five Star, but I’m hoping the starred review from Kirkus and the rave from PW will stir some interest in a mass market or foreign sale…otherwise, I fear the book will never reach a wide audience.
(For those unfamiliar with Five Star, they mostly serve libraries and their titles have limited distribution, at best, outside of independant mystery bookstores).
Dave,
I am, indeed, talking about Barry Humphries’ DAME EDNA. It was quite a thrill working with him on the project. The script was sort-of “DAME EDNA meets DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES” (though the project pre-dated DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES) and was written for A&E. By the time the script was finished, however, the execs who ordered it were out and the new regime wasn’t interested. The producers tell me there’s now some interest in doing it as a feature film — but I try not to get my hopes up.
Lee,
That sounds very funny, I love his work.
I do hope that something comes of that, in the wake of the success of DH, it could be a huge hit. Best of luck with that one!
Years ago he was simply Edna Everidge, until one of the Barry McKenzie movies over here. The Prime Minister of the Day actually did a cameo(first and only I know about), he was to greet Edna coming off the plane from England, and he improvised and made her a Dame on the spot, hence she was then known as Dame Edna.
cheers
Dave.
This was a fun read. I loved the seeting, near and dear to my heart, but the novel was well put together. THe reviews are right on the money. SO, Lee, this should be a big success!
Congrats on finally getting your copies — seems like you should have gotten them before the stores, no?
Pauly,
The book isn’t in stores yet…won’t be until early October. But even then, don’t expect to see’em in your local B&N (unless I am doing a signing there!). Most mystery bookstores will be stocking it, however.
Lee