I've seen a lot of music this summer, but the finest musician I saw was Jalen Nganga. I've seen him twice (Latitude & Victorious festivals) & both times he blew me away with his seemingly effortless skills on guitar, piano & stunning vocals. Worth checking out.

6 weeks, 44 libraries, 4 music festivals and my debut run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. This year, I have been attempting to transition from an author who does 'events' (whatever that means) to performer who also writes books. Here's the opening to my show. youtu.be/WmGLWhE4s2o?...

CinderGorilla: The Musical (The Opening Song)

YouTube video by Gareth P Jones

youtu.be

The opening song to CinderGorilla The Musical from my Edinburgh Fringe Fest debut. youtu.be/WmGLWhE4s2o?...

CinderGorilla: The Musical (The Opening Song)

YouTube video by Gareth P Jones

youtu.be

I say we nationalise Wetherspoons. I think it serves a purpose & should be under public ownership.

One final performance of CinderGorilla: The Musical at the Edinburgh Fringe before I have an entire day off. On Monday I will get back to my library tour of the UK with 4 Northumberland libraries.

I'm just a man standing on a stage holding a shoe aloft asking you to come to his show. CinderGorilla @edfringe.bsky.social 11:40 the space @ surgeons hall

1/3rd of the way through the summer. It's not been without its travel complications so far but I'm loving every minute of it. Today is the biggest travel day as I travel to Tonbridge, Maidstone then Bradford.

I'm Sorry I'll Read That Again is one of my all time favourite radio shows & always enjoyed Bill Odie's musical contributions. I'm not sure why, but this musical tribute to Brian Clough has been living as a worm in my ear ever since I first heard it. youtu.be/fczzIzhIgwU?...

Cloughie - ISIRTA (I'm Sorry I'll Read That Again), sung by Bill Oddie

YouTube video by Paul Turton

youtu.be

Oh no, I'm taking my one man show to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival & I've just seen that I've sold a grand total of ZERO TICKETS for the first two shows. It's on from 7th August and I promise it's not rubbish. If you know any families around Edinburgh next week, please do tell them about my show.

6 weeks of continuous performance begins in the airport as I wait to board a plane to Guernsey... where I learned last time I was there, they don't have squirrels.

I see that some lit fests have started pairing up celebrity authors, which is great because it shows that no matter which half of a comedy duo you are it's still possible to write a children's book.

I know we all like to differentiate the good celebrity authors from the bad celebrity authors these days, but dear celebrity author, if your new children's book was inspired by your beloved pet, you are such a cliche you deserve at least a little mocking. Sorry, them's the rules.

Tickets available for all 3 shows now. Mine can found here www.thespaceuk.com/shows/2026/c...

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Thank you for your attention to this matter.

As days go, this was a good one.

Blimey, leaving primary school is a big deal these days.

I've made sure my ringtone is on so I'm just waiting by the phone. That's how it works, right? If you miss the call, they move onto the next option. Probably Dermot.

Gareth P Jones@garethpjones.bsky.social · 2mo ago

If they're planning on making me the new laureatte they're leaving it a bit late to ask me since the announcement is tomorrow. Just saying.

If they're planning on making me the new laureatte they're leaving it a bit late to ask me since the announcement is tomorrow. Just saying.

Today I performed my show twice for large KS1 audiences at a local school, partly to rehearse for Saturday's big show. It's interesting though. With a public audience, you're trying gee them up. With a school audience, it's more about geeing them down. The puppets created high levels of hysteria.

Gosh. The big kids lit fests are looking remarkably samey this year, aren't they.

Up early and now on a tram as today's school is in New Addington... no, nor me. Beyond Croydon.

I've just remembered a joke that entirely failed to make it into a book years ago, in which one of the characters got Air Conditioning mixed up with Hair Conditioner. I think in the end it was, quite rightly, edited out.

The piece of political speak that has bugged me for years now is this idea of drawing up a 'roadmap' to peace, because a roadmap is just a map of all the roads. It's not a route.

It's not for me to call myself the hardest working author in book business, but I'm not going to stop you. Here's a map of where to find/avoid me from now until 1st September.

You might think my life is all glamour & glitz, but the tortoise just ate a chunk of red pepper, then farted & pissed all over the floor. I have now ejected him from the house & cleaned up the pepper pippy piss he left behind, while he triumphantly paraded around the garden.

Today I've been emailing reviewers about my Edinburgh show and because I'm personally so tired of these crappy AI written phishing emails about my books, I've been making each email different & ensuring that they all have at least one beautiful human mistake.

Those heading to the Edinburgh Fringe this August with kids, please consider dropping in on my debut Fringe show. TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW! www.edfringe.com/tickets/what...

It's been a while since I did one of these, but here is a short rap based on a post by @nataliereed84.bsky.social. (Made in a hurry but without AI)