The unluckiest man in publishing?

Chris Cleave must be the unluckiest author of 2005.

First of all, he writes a book. Topical, stimulating, questioning. Its about a bomb going off in London.

Only thing, on the day of publication, 7 July, a bomb really does go off in London. Now that's tough deal.

The moral question he and his publishers have to face is, of course, should he publish? I've written a little bit myself and know that completing a story is a birthing process. I'm sure he can't believe the poor timing of the bomb, and Im sure there's a selfish, secret part of him that wants to let it loose on to a cynical world, and be damned. His labour, his time, his earnings. But he's a decent sort of chap it seems, and has a website where he asks his potential readers whether he should publish or not. Immediately one might think "no! - the poor taste of it..." etc. On the other hand, I'm going to work as normal and London seems to be pretty normal. As one commentator quoted in the New York Times said "should we not print stories about the second world war which might offend war veterans?"

I think he'll be cursed if he publishes by the politically correct mindfuckmonkeys in the media. But I reckon his publishers should go ahead anyway. Sure, the bombs were traumatizing, and many, including my dearly beloved, have not slept well as a result since. This is to be human. Its an inevitable symptom of a violent, but more importantly, uncommon event. It was truly frightening, especially for Lynn who had a near miss at Aldgate. Perhaps it took her back to radically, 1972. But Londoners, like the majority of Northern Irelanders of the 70s, are sturdy creatures and almost nothing can stop us from rocking on. Careful, intelligent analysis of the causes is a good thing. But if we are bitter and angry, and if we retrench too far into our little lives, only connecting with family and close friends as some Americans appear to have done after 9/11, the bastards win. We are not *better* than Americans - God knows how freaking awful it must have been for Americans, New Yorkers especially, but its not been a British tradition over the centuries to get anal and self-absorbed after these kinds of event. Just ask old timers who survived the Blitz.

So give it a decent pause, then publish. London carries on motoring, including its book publishing business.

Go to www.chriscleaver.com to leave your own opinion.

Mood: Bit bored
Book: Hip Hop America by Nelson...oh shit can't be bothered to check
Noise: Tubes and C2C trains going by