I got an email from Peter Macken the other day asking where he could find that video of me talking about Vroom with a View at Mosman Library. He’d stumbled on it a couple of years ago and couldn’t remember where.
I couldn’t help him. As far as I could remember I’d never been videoed at Mosman Library.
Well, my memory is getting much worse than I imagined. Because a couple of hours later, Peter emailed me back. He’d found it on Google Videos. And he’d sent me the link.
I watched it and a few dim memories were awoken. It was the early days of YouTube et al and Mosman Library were going to put it on their web site.
But, a more immediate concern, WTF was I thinking wearing a Vespa t-shirt AND a Vespa sweatshirt? I guess I must have thought I looked cool. I remember Tara Wynne from my agents, Curtis Brown, commenting that if may have been too much. I should have listened to her.
I could try and bury my shame, but nothing remains hidden on the internet. So if you fancy a chuckle, check out the embedded video below.
And to think, I’d thought that the audience were laughing with me, not at me.
I’ve read many of your books and your real voice is nothing like what I imagined it to be when reading. I don’t know what I was expecting, probably something like a cross between Steve Irwin and Crocodile Dundee.
Hi Peter,
How old is this clip?
I think they were laughing with you! You’re very funny. I bet vespa Ts and shirts sold like hot cakes after that. There might be another rush on them now.
Well done for putting the video up. Very brave. I want to do one for my blog because people are supposed to love them but how to disguise my nasal voice and plummy pommy accent? Never mind what to wear…
Anyway, maybe when Blighty! comes out you can do a speaking tour and come visit us at the Noosa Library. They have regular author events and for $6 you get a glass of vino, yummy nibbles and usually a great talk too. Most of the punters are over 60 then there’s me:) We are a top crowd and will be laughing the whole way through.
Hi Peter
You sounded more Australian then than you do now!! naybe you are developing a pommy accent??
Richard – that would have been November 2003. I can’t believe how fresh-freshed and bright-eyed I look.
Joanne – I just had a guy on Facebook saying he was disappointed I didn’t sound more like Crocodile Dundee or Steve Irwin in the video. That was the voice he had in his mind when he read my books!
And Annabel – definitely up for a visit to Noosa library!