Weekend Events Extravaganza

Six Tonto authors will be out and about this weekend. Don't signed books make great Christmas presents? Here's a quick rundown of where to find them:

TODAY, Friday 28 November:
Ashley Hames Sin Cities author event, Waterstones, Leeds, 6.30pm.

TOMORROW, Saturday 29 November:
Stephen Miller Paralympian book signing, Borders, Team Valley, 11.30am to 1.30pm.
Roger Stutter Jonny Kennedy book signing, Borders, Team Valley, from 1pm.

SUNDAY, 30 November:
Mike 'Biffa' Bolam NUFC.com Toon Diary signing, Borders, Team Valley, from noon.

Have a good weekend.

Paul

Christmas savings extravaganza

With the Christmas shopping season inevitably upon us, here are a couple of ways to save on books:

First up, we've cut prices at our online shop. Among the bargains you can grab are The Burglar's Dog, Sin Cities, Paralympian and Everything You Ever Wanted at just £6.99 each, and Being Normal, Jonny Kennedy and The Rocketbelt Caper at just £5.99 each, all with FREE UK p&p. Hurry along here.

Meanwhile, Borders are offering £10 off when you spend £50, either instore or online. Just take this voucher into the store, or enter the code BOR1050 at the online checkout. It's valid until this Sunday 30th November.

(Or, chance your arm at the Borders Tower Game and win a voucher for 40% off the RRP of any book.)

Coincidentally, we have three author signings at Borders Team Valley this weekend - Stephen Miller (Paralympian) and Roger Stutter (Jonny Kennedy) on Saturday and Mike 'Biffa' Bolam (NUFC.com Toon Diary) on Sunday. So if you're in the Gateshead area you can get some signed books and save a tenner.

Paul

New novels now in stock

Our two newest forthcoming books, 9987 by Nik Jones and Make It Back by Sarah Shaw are officially released on 19 January, but, to satisfy eager Christmas shoppers, we have them in stock and available to purchase now. Both are gorgeous paperbacks, among the best looking books we've produced so far. They're just £7.99 each, with free UK p&p, so snap them up at our online shop.


Paul

Accessible work space for writers

Are you a writer looking for work space in Newcastle upon Tyne? Then you should probably take a look at WritePlace, an exciting new shared office community offering accessible and affordable individual work space to all kinds of writers on a low-cost, easy-in, easy-out basis.

Paul

Behind the scenes at Amazon.co.uk

By all accounts Amazon.co.uk have been selling so many Tonto books recently that they've had to open a brand new warehouse in Swansea... As most of us will be giving or receiving something or other purchased from Amazon this Christmas, it's worth taking a look at these fascinating photos from The Guardian. See if you can spot your Playstation 3 or box set of The Wire...

Paul

Christmas events calendar

We have literally lots of events coming up between now and Christmas, all of which represent an excellent way to grab a personally-signed stocking filler from our fantastic authors. Here goes:

21 November: Everything You Ever Wanted Rosalind Wyllie book signing, Borders, London Colney, from 12.30pm

21 November: Sin Cities Ashley Hames author event, Cambridge University Union Society, Cambridge, 6.30pm

28 November: Sin Cities Ashley Hames author event, Waterstones, Leeds, 6.30pm

29 November: Stephen Miller Paralmypian book signing, Borders, Team Valley, Gateshead, 11.30am-2pm

29 November: Roger Stutter Jonny Kennedy book signing, Borders, Team Valley, Gateshead, 1pm

30 November: NUFC.com Toon Diary Mike 'Biffa' Bolam book signing, Borders, Team Valley, Gateshead, from 12 noon

7 December: NUFC.com Toon Diary Mike 'Biffa' Bolam book signing, Borders, Silverlink, Newcastle, from 12 noon

13 December: Everything You Ever Wanted Rosalind Wyllie book signing, Borders, Silverlink, Newcastle, 1pm

14 December: Everything You Ever Wanted Rosalind Wyllie book signing, Borders, Team Valley, Gateshead, 1pm

20 December: Stephen Miller Paralympian book signing, Borders, Silverlink, Newcastle, 1pm

And while you're sticking stuff in your diary, here are a couple of dates for the new year:

10 January 2009: Everything You Ever Wanted Rosalind Wyllie author event, Gosforth Library, Newcastle, 2pm

24 January 2009: Being Normal Stephen Shieber author event, Gosforth Library, Newcastle, 2pm

Paul

Free Bubblecow edit and report

Friend of Tonto, editor, mentor and all-round good egg Caroline Smailes, via her new venture Bubblecow, is offering a free in-depth edit and report worth £500 to one lucky writer in the run-up to Christmas. Hurry along and read all about it here.

Paul

Look! It's a 3D interpretation of the Tonto office!

This is the Tonto office, some say studio, rendered in genuine 3D. That's my chair in the middle. Not shown: computer equipment, desktop clutter and boxes and boxes of books.


Paul

Flavour of the month

North East Times were kind enough to give the Non-Beardy Beer Book a four star review (ack - no opportunity for any 80s band Five Star puns) in their October edition. We usually have to bribe journalists and reviewers for this title with trips to the pub or send them a crate of light ale, so it was nice to get a good review sans corruption.




The reviewer mentioned that the book is perfect as a stocking-filler, so be sure to purchase well in advance from your local bookstore or amazon. Also top of Christmas lists for Newcastle United fans this year is our 2009 Toon Diary. Mike 'Biffa' Bolam was over at Tonto Towers yesterday to sign more copies due to popular buying via our website. Buying both books will mean that the football-loving slob in your life can drink themselves to oblivion while watching the footy on Sky, can set a date for each other match on the TV and can plan the refreshments for each with the useful and informative guide*.
That's entertainment.

Stu


*Please note that the description was in no way based on an employee at Tonto Books. And please, drink sensibly.

Happy Birthday to us!

Tonto Books is now officially three years old!
And of course, we haven't really had time to celebrate. It has been mad hectic at t'Towers recently as we've been concentrating on selling, making sure we're stocked, chasing buyers (literally) and hassling everyone possible to take our books.

Our ongoing ASDA contract means that our Toon Diary is now stocked in the Tyneside stores, and has brought with it all the usual headaches. If you don't know what I mean here, try phoning any ASDA store and listen to their 'on hold' music.
We're having successes at Borders, Waterstone's and have got our books into WH Smith, Zavvi and HMV this year. Also 2008 has been a great year for publicity and promotion... a load of launches and author events around the country, national publicity and our first trip to the London Book Fair. And we'll soon be at Cambridge Union Society where Ashley Hames will be delivering a talk. Oh, and we managed to get Roz Wyllie's book reviewed in a top shelf magazine.

And we're only just three years old. Not bad, eh? When are people going to take note and start sending cards, gifts and cake? Mmmm... cake.

So with Paul off with man flu today, it's just me at the office celebration as it dawned on me that we reached the big 3 in October. A few wine gums then I'm off to use the photocopier.

Stu