My shite new books - "SUPER - old, odd, interesting, obscure and abandoned filling stations". - NOW WITH FREE STUFF

[motorpunk]

Well that was fun. Radio presenter recalled an Art Deco filling station near where I live which had a BMW and Ferrari garage opposite which was turned into a library (and is now a Co-Op), they’re not even in the book as there’s no visible trace of their origins now, sadly.

I’ve just published South West. 110 pages. A ton of work. It’s the best yet and I’m quite relieved to see it off my desk and into the open, so to speak. There’s adverts running in a few mags I write for shortly. 
 

I’m nowhere near breaking even on any of this yet, so the final edition (Scotland) will have to wait until I’ve recovered a few quid from sales of the others before I finalise it. I’m still hoping to get it out for Christmas. South West has the prettiest places and some cool stories (in my opinion, but I would say that as I wrote the book), I’ll post a link here later for anyone with an urge to disappoint a petrol head relative at Christmas with a book...

 

ETA- here’s the link to the South West edition. 
 

 

[Jenson Velcro]

Great, just bought the SW edition. Looking forward to reading it.

[motorpunk]

48 minutes ago, Jenson Velcro said:

Great, just bought the SW edition. Looking forward to reading it.

Thanks so much! I really appreciate it. 👍

[motorpunk]

Sold quite a few of these now. Nowhere near covering my costs yet, but that was never really the point. 

Scotland might have to wait, or maybe I'll publish without having had a professional (=expensive) proof reader do his thing to it. 99% of people probably won't notice the odd typo, but in my experience the 1% who do tend to make a stink.

Thanks, again, to those who have bought a copy

[motorpunk]

Got my hands on a print copy of the South West edition of SUPER. Is it wrong to smile at your own work?

[SiC]

I was thinking that site would make a good one in the book as I drive past. Its still there btw, just boarded up even more.

One thing I did think was missing on your book (probably way too late to say now !) is a lot of the villages/towns don't have which county they are in. So you end up having to Google seperately to figure out where on earth in the area of the country it is in.

[motorpunk]

Yeah, we had a bit of a dilemma on the location front. Garage name, village name, brand name, what. Sometimes they’re hamlets you’ve never heard of. I couldn’t reproduce the map to a high enough quality in print to include it as a guide. 

[somewhatfoolish]

Grid ref is your friend(for the inevitable reprint  ).

[motorpunk]

5 hours ago, somewhatfoolish said:

Grid ref is your friend(for the inevitable reprint  ).

Yeah, that's not a bad idea. A reprint might follow, depending on how many snotty corrections I get - "You called it Smiths garage but it's actually called Smyths garage, you weeping fistula, I demand my money back". etc. 

Selling loads of these now, I can't wait for feedback after Christmas!

[SiC]

Location and QR codes?

For me it was the only disappointing thing as I was hoping to use it as a guide to what's around and an excuse to drive past on a random jaunt. 

[somewhatfoolish]

Or What Three Words.

[motorpunk]

10 minutes ago, SiC said:

Location and QR codes?

For me it was the only disappointing thing as I was hoping to use it as a guide to what's around and an excuse to drive past on a random jaunt. 

DM me your email address and I'll try and give you access to the online Google map of where everything is. Not to be shared with others! 

[High Jetter]

I was going to suggest W3W as well, might be the way to go or a bit of a gamble?

[loserone]

On 08/12/2020 at 17:30, motorpunk said:

the 1%

Hello, that's me.  I don't usually complain mind, but pretty sure I spotted a couple in the northern England one - more that I was surprised as you'd mentioned on here they had been proofread.  Will find them if you'd actually like me to.

 

These are short enough, I'd be happy to volunteer to read through others if you wanted.  I've done it elsewhere but usually for online stuff with a mental deadline (like, needs to be published in two hours).

[motorpunk]

42 minutes ago, loserone said:

Hello, that's me.  I don't usually complain mind, but pretty sure I spotted a couple in the northern England one - more that I was surprised as you'd mentioned on here they had been proofread.  Will find them if you'd actually like me to.

 

These are short enough, I'd be happy to volunteer to read through others if you wanted.  I've done it elsewhere but usually for online stuff with a mental deadline (like, needs to be published in two hours).

Ah. Hello!

There were two typos in the Midlands and North edition that the proofreader pointed out to me about 15 minutes after I’d hit ‘publish’. I don’t recall what they are. I’d be grateful if you’d message me (if you can be arsed) with examples of any you’ve seen so I can give my man some feedback. I won’t name him, but he often works for far bigger names than me and hasn’t slipped up before. 
 

I might ask you to have a butchers at Scotland (the edition, not the whole country), perhaps. 
 

Thanks, by the way

[rainagain]

Any news on the publish date for the Scotland one? 

[egg]

Mrs Egg is a editor/proofreader, just saying like, if you need anyone in the future.

[egg]

I got the South East one for Xmas - excellent. Here's a couple of pics of Hilltop garage which I took myself, as it is in the book.

[Macscrooge]

And in my Christmas stocking...

[motorpunk]

On 22/12/2020 at 07:34, rainagain said:

Any news on the publish date for the Scotland one? 

Sorry, it's all there, but I need to generate enough (some) profit before I pay for proof-reading on the Scottish one. Unless people want a version now that is full of my drunken typos...

I think I'll publish it in the spring. Thanks for bearing with me.

[motorpunk]

On 25/12/2020 at 13:19, Macscrooge said:

And in my Christmas stocking...

Yay! I hope you like it. It's a buzz to see an actual book by me in print, and I took that cover pic and thought "that'll do nicely". Good times!

[motorpunk]

Oh - My next book goes to print probably this week. It's called "Killer drinks", about obscure and interesting alcoholic drinks from around the world that could kill you. I honestly think it's my best work yet (albeit I have quite low standsrds), I haven't written about drink before, it's short, punchy and I hope people find it funny. I'll share a link later...

[inconsistant]

2 minutes ago, motorpunk said:

 I have quite low standsrds

Lolz

[martc]

On 11/25/2020 at 11:05 PM, motorpunk said:

.....an Art Deco filling station....the final edition (Scotland) .....

1980's (?)

now

Basil Spence's Southside Garage, Causewayside, Southside, Edinburgh  built 1933

[New POD]

On 02/02/2021 at 15:29, motorpunk said:

Oh - My next book goes to print probably this week. It's called "Killer drinks", about obscure and interesting alcoholic drinks from around the world that could kill you. I honestly think it's my best work yet (albeit I have quite low standsrds), I haven't written about drink before, it's short, punchy and I hope people find it funny. I'll share a link later...

I think it woukd make a good TV programme.  You are filmed sampling 9/10th of the amount that is certain to kill you, with a medical team on standby. 

 

[New POD]

On 15/12/2020 at 09:50, somewhatfoolish said:

Grid ref is your friend(for the inevitable reprint  ).

What three words gets you within 2 metres.  

https://w3w.co/nasal.puns.wipe

This 3 word gets you to the parking spot of a shite focus. 

 

[motorpunk]

51 minutes ago, martc said:

1980's (?)

now

Basil Spence's Southside Garage, Causewayside, Southside, Edinburgh  built 1933

That’s in the Scottish edition along with quite a bit of blurb about the architect. I haven’t gotten round to publishing the Scottish edition yet. 
I’m doing a live cast video thing with Hagerty online later this week about old filling stations. #MediaLifestyleWanker

[Blake's Den]

I got a copy of the Midlands and North book for Christmas and I love it! Hopefully I'll get a chance to visit some of the locations this year.

I actually used to work in a run down petrol station many years ago. I was disappointed that it didn't make the list but hey ho! I've got lots of funny stories about the place such as a till that didn't work and padlocks that didn't lock but you had to pretend to lock them in case somebody was watching 🤣

[SiC]

Bump!

Due to lockdown Christmas got delayed for us, so I didn't get my presents until today. These were on my wishlist:

Super is the South West edition. I've already got the first one (Midlands?) and thought it was ok but slightly disappointing with the small photos. However this is way better and more enjoyable - especially with lovely large photos. 

Many of the town's I know extremely well, including growing up right near one. However there are a few stations/garages in there that I didn't even know exist. 

I've had a look through already looking at the photos, but will go into deeper - once I prize it back out of my Father-in-law's hands...

[loserone]

Alston Road garage in Middleton in Teesdale.

 

 

Up for sale, if anyone's interested.  Owners retiring.  Still a Ford dealer.

 

Edit: linky

https://www.onthemarket.com/details/9504211/