Book - More Progress

There’s good news and not so good news on the book front ahead of Christmas. The good news is that there will be more pages, more colour, more words and more photos in the forthcoming ‘Scottish Rally Championship 1990-1999’ book but I suppose the bad news is that it will cost more! On the other hand we’re looking at an early November publishing date – just in time for Christmas!!

But don’t blame me, blame the folk who bought the first book and then asked for more of everything! However, the format remains the same, the first part of the book will contain over 80 individual rally reports from each individual round of the championship during this ten year period. The reports are also longer therefore offering more detail on the events and those who took part and each chapter concludes with a top ten Championship leaderboard with points.

The second part of the book is again split up into photographic sections and there are many more colour photographs this time, although still a few Black & Whites from ‘the good ol’ days’ of Scottish forest rallying, many of which have never before been published. As such this will provide a great old nostalgic wallow through times past.

Also as last time, the front cover will feature a pic of one rally car. Deciding who would feature on the front cover last time was dead easy. Ken Wood and Peter Brown were the only crew to win three Scottish titles during the 1980s decade so they were a natural.

However, during the ten years of the 1990s there were ten different Scottish Champions so no obvious choice for prime position. Which begs the question, who did I choose? And who would you choose? And are we all going to fall out over my choice? Oh, and by the way, the chosen image is a cracking pic – one of the late Tom Coffield’s action photos.

Anyway all will be revealed shortly and my reasons for my choice, but will it match yours?

And here are some more pics that didn’t make the final cut with Donald Milne wishing he had bought a corset in a larger size, the Jaffray carriage with the crew Mr Happy and Mr Bumble all fired up and ready for action, and the inimitable ‘Smiffy’ promoting his own brand range of clothing!!

Book - Progress Report

Called in to the printer this morning for a bit of a session and came home with the first proof of the next book ‘The Scottish Rally Championship 1990-1999’. Earlier fears of having written too much have proved unfounded. The first book covering the 1980s was just over 200 pages, this next one will just be around 50 or 60 pages more!

So yes, there will be more stories and more pics!

In fact, I could have squeezed a few more pics in but that would have meant more pages and therefore more weight. Many folk were surprised just how heavy the first book was so I had to be careful with this one for postage reasons.

Having said that the photos that don’t make this book (or the previous one) will be available for the final book in the series. That’s the one where I won’t give a damn about being sued for libel, slander or defamation. So those who refused permission for photos to be used this time had better brace themselves for the swansong. In other words, if you think some of the pics in this book are a bit risky or risqué then you’ll just have to read the final book under adult supervision.

David the designer at the printer has again done a masterful job of laying out the text and pics but there is one photo which he has ‘greyed out’ because he can’t bear to look at it. He thinks it’s just plain gross – but then he doesn’t really know rally folk. We had a sincere and earnest discussion this morning about whether to include or exclude it – I won. It’s in!

As for the pics here, these two didn’t make the final cut either.

Book - Gone to Press!

The next step … the book is now officially underway. Took the text and photos over to the printer this morning and sat with the designer for an hour and a half. However it looks at this early stage as though the book covering the 90s will be quite a hefty tome. And that’s all your fault as previous buyers wanted longer reports, more stories and more pics. 

No idea of page numbers as yet but it will be heavier! No idea either about time scale. That will be determined by the designer and the print/production team but the aim is to have them ready for the first Monday in November – same as last year! So that might mean another ‘book launch’ in the quaint village of Ashgill, that is, if Coltness Car Club will have me back again! We had a great night the last time so we’ll see.

By the way the pics in the previous post showed Waggy and Woody having a woopsie, but here’s another couple that haven’t made the final selection. One is a very rare sighting of someone smiling and the other shows someone concentrating very hard!

Book - Dilemma resolved

Further to the previous post I have now resolved my dilemma. I won’t go ahead with pics of weans, but will go ahead with pics of half naked men, some of whom might be flattered and some who definitely won’t!

Truth be told I phoned the parents of the wean pics. It’s just such a touchy subject these days that I thought it must be done. Oddly enough the pic with the wee chap and the champagne bottle was only vetoed because the parent didn’t think her own photo was flattering. No problem with publishing a pic of her wean, just not happy with how she looked, otherwise she would have allowed it. Vanity, eh!

As for the other one, the faither was quite happy to let it be used but was also perfectly happy to point out that it would be at my own risk. Said toddler is now well over six feet, built like an F1 Stock Car and plays rugby for his county. A point well made I thought, so I chickened out. I’ll admit it, I’m a fully paid up member of the self-preservation society.

Having said that, these pics (and others) might well make my final book in the series because by that time I’ll be past caring who I upset and far too auld to be hauled through the courts for libel, slander and defamation.

Anyway, the 1990s book is going to the printer this week and it will look similar to the 1980s book but it will be bigger. It will have more pages, more stories and more pics and that’s all down to the feedback from the first book.

However, the style has changed ever so slightly. When I first started this project, it was regarded purely as a factual record of events long past and was written in a historically serious tone although there were a few light hearted bits and stories, but this latest book is a bit more relaxed. It’s still a proper history book but I’ve lightened it up. It features more social and sporting commentary and hopefully reflects what attracted folk to the sport in the first place, the fun and the thrills. Anyway, you lot will be the judge – again!

As for the pics shown here, these are just four of those which didn’t make the final cut – although many more did! You have been warned.

https://fife-motor-sports-agency.square.site/

Book - Dilemma

Working on the final text for the next Scottish rallying book covering the 1990s has raised a dilemma or two. It concerns political correctness or ‘woke’ as it is being called these days. Now I don’t know what woke means, and neither does the Oxford English dictionary, but it spells trouble for journalists and authors.

Take for instance the question of nudity, or semi nudity. I have had to discard quite a few foties showing half naked men but given we live in a society which supposedly promotes free speech and the right to express opinions, should I discard them? Scotland is particularly prone to such depraved scenes, all it takes is the merest peep of the sun from behind the perpetual clouds for men to discard their overalls, shirts and string vests in order to soak up the rays.

The other topic is rather more contentious. I had to discard another couple of pics, one showing a toddler in arms while his parent held a champagne bottle to his mouth, although the bottle was empty, and the other featured another toddler in arms with his face slabbered in chocolate.

Years ago in more common sensiblity times such pics would be allowed, one for the women to slever over and the other for parents and grandparents to go “Aw, ain’t that cute.”

Question is, should I publish and be damned, or should I chicken out?

Rally - Craufurdland Castle Festival

A weekend of mixed emotions … It started with Jock’s funeral on Friday. What a turn-out. Certainly 5 or 6 hundred folk in attendance although some reckoned nearer 7 or 8 hundred and few could disagree with that. A very moving service and a very fitting tribute to a very decent bloke.

Sunday was spent at the Craufurdland Castle Rally Festival, the first of its kind in Scotland. And yes, there were a few shortcomings, but it would appear that those with rally cars fair enjoyed themselves even if the road did cut up a bit on the Sunday. However, the biggest drawback was the single road entry and exit point, a short part of which was also used as the rally stage, so that caused a few delays. And it would have helped if the grass in the field had benefited from a wee run over with a mower beforehand. However, the organisers are well aware of what’s needed and say they’ll be back next year. As a way of introducing the sport to new folk, this type of event provides an entertaining and accessible platform.

Just one wee observation, if you’re going to hire Barry Lee (Hot Rod World Champ, speedway rider, racer, rallycrosser and rally driver) as a commentator, better have a bleep machine (and maybe subtitles) handy, otherwise any attending weans will be adding some new expressions to their more colourful vocabulary. He may be 80 but he’s still an irascible rogue 

The event also provided a chance to catch up with friends old and new and there were many familiar faces around, and of course a few more books were sold. Great stuff.

Yesterday was spent at a secret location in the Borders with the proof readers, Susan and Rodger. Surprisingly there were fewer red marks than I was expecting, although there was a bit of haggling over some of the terminology. The most painful bit of the visit was paying for the lunch at the nearby Allanton Inn, but it was the least I could do. On the other hand it was worth every penny, it was scrumptious. However, that now means the Scottish Championship 1990s book will be ready for the printer next week!

To cap it all off, my best pal is now home, hirplin’ aroon the hoose on twa sticks after his successful hip operation on Friday. He’ll be taking up tennis next, eh?