Guess who’s back?
No, not your herpes. Me! Though perhaps I am just as irritating, only not as itchy
I haven’t written much since I published ‘Personal Use’ around a year and a half ago and my public profile has been practically non-existent.
So what happened?
Real life got in the way of my plans and I withdrew. I haven’t done anything to promote my book in over a year. I still hang out on Twitter, but that’s about it. I have not really been actively promoting ‘Personal Use’ in any meaningful way.
It all started out really well. I was a guest on James O’Brien’s radio show on LBC and off the back of that, I was interviewed by VolteFace magazine. Many copies of my book were sold during this brief period of exposure. And if you bought a copy, thank you very much!
My cunning plan to be a full time hippy was progressing nicely. I was ready to do even more promotion. And then Mrs. Hippy got sick.
I’m not going to go into the details here, but I suddenly became the only earner in my household. And I couldn’t risk getting sacked, so my PR campaign came to a complete halt.
Was I disappointed? Fuck, yeah. Was it the end of my world? Fuck, no.
In the last year, I’ve thrown myself hard into my job. I didn’t have a choice. Any dissatisfaction I had, has been firmly tamped down and I have re-engaged myself fully with my occupation. I pretty much had to reinvent myself at work, out of necessity. It’s actually been good.
But not good enough, I still find myself wanting to do more. What I enjoyed the most about writing ‘Personal Use’ was the actual writing. And what I enjoyed least was the promotion.
I’m not someone who naturally craves attention. In truth, I am the sort of person that hides from attention. I like being invisible and unnoticed. That’s been tricky at work in the last year, as I have been involved in some high profile stuff. People who never heard of me, now know who I am.
So being a full-time hippy hasn’t been an option, but perhaps I can go back to being a part time hippy?
When I finished ‘Personal Use’, I started planning a follow up. I made notes and came up with a title, and then the real life distractions started. I’m hoping to pick up where I left off.
My next book will be entitled ‘High Hopes’ and I have a cunning plan to help focus my attention. I am going to post each chapter as I write it, here on my website. You can all read my rough drafts, which I hope will eventually become my next book. Feedback will be very welcome!
I have a very simple premise for ‘High Hopes’, since ‘Personal Use’ solved the drug problem, I am going to turn my attention to all the other issues which plague our society, And then I will solve them all, as you do.
Yes, my tongue is firmly pressed against my cheek on this one, in case you were thinking I’ve finally lost it completely.
For the record, I lost it decades ago, but I am good at creating the illusion of being a functional human being. I’m still neurotic as fuck, don’t you worry about that.
So that’s my plan, if I can cobble together 25-30 decent essay-like chapters that address society’s most complex and divisive issues, whammo-blammo, that will be my next book.
As I am my own agent, manager and publisher, I haven’t set myself any deadlines. I am keeping the pressure on myself to a bare minimum.
And before you ask, I am a terrible agent/manager. If I was any good at it, I would have secured a better publisher than myself.
So there you have it, the bar has been set, low. Now all I have to do is post stuff on here regularly and before I know it, I will have another book ready to go.
That’s the plan, anyway. Real life has a way of screwing with my plans, so let’s have this conversation in a year or so, and see how it worked out.
Until then, I remain, as always, your loyal and faithful hippy. Dig it, hepcats!
The northlondonhippy is an anonymous author, online cannabis activist and recreational drug user, who has been writing about drugs and drug use for over 14 years. In real life, the hippy is a multimedia journalist with over 30 years experience in the industry.
The hippy’s first book, ‘Personal Use’ details the hippy’s 35 years of recreational drug use while calling for urgent drug law reform. It’s a cracking read, you will laugh, you will cry and you can bet your ass that you will wish you were a hippy too!
“Personal Use” is available as a digital download on all platforms, including Amazon’s Kindle, Apple’s iBooks and Barnes & Noble’s Nook. The paperback is available from all online retailers and book shops everywhere.
10% of all profits from ‘Personal Use’ will be donated to drug charities, annually.
The hippy has announced his follow-up to ‘Personal Use’, entitled ‘High Hopes’, which currently has no due date or expected date of publication.
You can also find the northlondonhippy on Twitter: @nthlondonhippy – follow him and receive a free gift*)
(*There is no free gift)