To those who aren't appalled at the thought of another Spud book coming, I bring you good news. There is another Spud book coming. When I say coming, I don't mean coming coming, but rather as a euphemism for "in due course" or "languidly anon." I have noticed that a number of you have voiced your heartfelt derision at the length of time it has taken for the 4th and final Spud book to emerge. I agree August 2012 sounds like an eternity to wait for publication, but it isn't as long as many of you are making out. A human pregnancy for example will take longer, as will a Mangosuthu Buthelezi speech. I do concede that with the previous three books being born in 2005, 2007, and 2009, readers of the Spud were quite within their rights to expect the 4th book in 2011. I myself was appalled that the book wasn't written in time and have had some incredibly stern words with myself and pulled out a few clumps of hair as punishment.
In 2010 when I should have been writing Spud 4, I became rather caught up with the making of the Spud movie. I would like to think that if you were faced with the choice between staying at home and thrashing away at your keyboard, or heading off to the midlands and hanging out with John Cleese, you would have chosen the keyboard. Alas I am a weak-willed fellow and the lure of moving pictures became too great. I planned to begin the book after filming ended but somewhow became committed to writing another book with producer Ross Garland after narrowly losing an evening of snooker to the man 7-1. After finishing the movie book, I meant to start writing Spud 4 immediately but by mistake went on a five week holiday to Italy and France instead, which as you can imagine was worse than torture. I did, however, begin writing after that and have been writing ever since, hence the slightly insane tone of this missive. I currently find myself a mere month away from finishing the first draft which is obviously the initial major step in the process of publishing a book. I will let you know if I make it to the 16th of December in one piece. Until then happy Movember and spread the news that the new book will be the maddest of the lot.
JvdR
(P.S. If you're a Spud fan, please join us on the Official Spud Books Facebook fanpage for all the latest Spud 4 updates and plans.)