End of part two (Day 1126)

THE WRITER'S LIFE | BOOK LAUNCH

Metamorphosis: The beetle emerges from the mouth. The Perpetuity of Memory is published: From the writer's mouth (Image of a 3D tattoo).

Exactly three years ago today, I wrote a blog post, entitled End of part one: That was when I was learning about the life I'd found around me, on the streets. Scanning back through other old posts, I've worked out that if I'd kept recording the days, today would be Day 1126. I kept count of the days I was homeless but eventually gave up when the word took on different meanings.

Roughly speaking, it was 10 days of street walking and rough, unsheltered sleeping; 90 days of sleeping rough in a derelict building; 150 days of squatting; 210 days of sofa surfing; and 400 days of living illegally above a pub. Add that all up and it should make about two years. I've been at the studio for almost a year now, so I've found my home but it's on the third anniversary of that End of part one post that part two makes way for the next.

I didn't plan it. It says on the cover of the book that it took three years and without even checking beforehand, it's landed on the exact day. Three years after the end of part one, I've published my first volume of collected tales. I've published other books and there will be more to come, but this is the one I'd like to be remembered for.

Just hours from writing of my upcoming book, it's no longer an upcoming book: It's published today. I wrote of my sentiments surrounding the book in that last post, by including the cover notes and introduction. Now that my three-year labour of love is published, I'm moved to post further sentiments from the book, the acknowledgements:

It would be impossible to thank everyone individually for their contribution to this book, because that would be everyone who knew me in the 42 years it took me to realise what I wanted to do with my life. But there are individuals and groups who stand out:

Those I am indebted to the most, and to whom this book is dedicated: My parents, my children and their mum.

My second family, The Pink Hearts: A rag tag group of young people I met when I was homeless and who remain friends, especially the ones who remain close: My adopted sister, The Courts, and my three adopted daughters: The fold-up one, clingy thingy, and Ninja. The Ninja was particularly helpful in the latter stages of this book, when she took on the role of proof reader for some of the later stories and sent me notes of encouragement, such as “If you don't finish this, I will punch you. In the face. Repeatedly.”

I'm grateful to my other crash test dummies who read drafts for me: My sounding board, Nettie, and one of my most loyal friends, Jo. Thanks also to all of my old friends from the 80s and 90s who've stuck around to see what happened to the alcoholic.

I must acknowledge two of my literary heroes and influences: Paul Auster and Douglas Adams. Last and by no means least, my guardian angel: The man who taught me as a teenager that it's okay to be different and that expression is freedom, David Bowie.

A life will always be a memory, so long as it's not forgotten. These stories will be around long after I'm gone and I hope they make for some perpetuity of memory.

It's all out there now: A book of stories, published and now indelible. Perhaps the most sentimental page is the dedications:

For George and Rose, my parents
They made this possible

And for Louis and Lola, my children
They are the next generation

My children may be two of the first generation of our one race to become immortal, through science and exploration. I will probably miss that boat, but I can still imagine and write stories. And the stories in this book are now immortalised, through the process of publication.

So this is a happy ending; A date which means the start of a new act, a new chapter, a new part.

I don't know exactly why I called that post the end of part one, three years ago. Back then, life was taking me through many brief transits. If I were asked, I'd say part one lasted for about 42 years, starting in 1970. Part two lasted for somewhere between three and five years, the last three being the metamorphosis.

So this is part three. The Perpetuity of Memory is a rather handy launch pad, into whatever happens next.