Every so often, someone stumbles across this website and asks me if they can use some of the articles from it. It’s a nice compliment, but a lot of the time I say no, mainly as the vast majority of them just want to pad websites with content at no benefit to the writer. Every so often, though, something really interesting comes up. One such offer came towards the end of the summer, when the editor of a camper van guidebook called Campervan Life asked if he could make use of a review I wrote of a Louth music festival called Vantastival for Alternative Ulster back in May. He told me he was putting together a book, and I couldn’t see the harm in getting my name out there in print at next to no effort, so I agreed. I didn’t hear any more about it, so I assumed everything had fallen by the wayside, as things often seem to in publishing. A couple of weeks back, though, the editor came back to me to say thanks for the article and that I’d find it on page 118 of the new book. Off I went to get hold of one.
Normally, if I thought something was going to go in print for a nice glossy publication I’d give it an extra careful going over, and ensure that everything was absolutely bang on. I didn’t have the chance with this one, but fortunately, I seem to have done okay with the Vantastival review, and I was very pleasantly surprised when I received the book. What you probably can’t see from the picture on the right is that that’s a big, glossy A4 sized hardback. While i don’t even own a VW Camper Van (though I’d love to, it wouldn’t really make sense in Dublin, and they cost a fortune…), it’s a great addition to my published writing shelf and really nicely produced (off the subject, I must get round to sticking a few pics of that shelf and the rest of the house up online, before we eventually move on – I’ve always regretted never doing that in Korea, and most of the mags I was published in over there are still back home in the UK).
My article ended up across four pages with some great pictures from a photorgrapher I sometimes work with through Goldenplec, Kate Turner. I’ve snapped some pictures of the articles themselves below. I wouldn’t normally write an entire entry on just one published article (well, perhaps if it was for Time, or NME), but for all the dozens of magazines I’ve written for, this is only the third time I’ve made it into a book, which is always a nice feeling.
If you’re particularly keen on your camper vans, you can grab a copy here. The article’s still online in full over at AU, here.
A nice mid-week pick me up, if nothing else!
J x
