My last novel before Lonely Werewolf Girl was Suzy, Led Zeppelin and Me. (ISBN 1 899598 22 7) It was published by Codex Books in the UK. Unfortunately this is now out of print, because the publisher went out of business. (That wasn't my fault! The book sold well.)

I really like this book, so I hope it gets back into print some time.

The novel is set in Glasgow, the first time I've set a work of fiction in Scotland, where I was born. Much of the action takes place in 1972, when Led Zeppelin came to play in Glasgow at Green's Playhouse. I was at school in Glasgow at the time, and went to this gig. I remember it really well.

The novel stretches over many years, so there is more in it than Led Zeppelin. It has brief visits from Buffy and the fairies, the sad tale of what a corrupt and useless literary judge I was, a lot about Nefertiti's hat, some great dislike of growing up, misery about old girlfriends, that sort of thing. But it's funny as well, I hope.

You can read the first two chapters below.

Codex Books Website

Queen Nefertiti

Chapter One

On the 4th of December, 1972, Led Zeppelin came to play in Glasgow. If you live outside of Britain, you might not know where Glasgow is. It's a large city on the west coast of Scotland. Scotland is just north of England.
I won't trouble you with any more geography. I know you have a short attention span. So have I. I don't seem able to watch a programme on TV for more than a few seconds without changing channels. I can't sit through long films any more. I never go to the theatre for fear of being bored. When I'm reading a book I need the chapters to be brief.
No part of this novel is longer than a few hundred words. Even with a short attention span, you'll be able to read it easily, a little at a time.
It mostly concerns events surrounding the Led Zeppelin gig, all these years ago. I remember the main events well but my memory for detail can be poor. This often causes me problems. I never remember who people are if I've only met them a few times, or when anyone's birthday is, or the date I'm meant to do anything. So I've been asking old friends about the concert, finding out things I might have forgotten. For instance, was it raining on the night of the gig? Glasgow is a fairly wet city and it could well have been raining, but I can't remember. And where did the young woman at my school buy their afghan coats? I must have known that at some time. I can still remember how to slit a pair of jeans to the knee, and sew in a triangle of bright material to give them an 'extra-flared' look.
My friend Greg was there, and Cherry, and Zed, and also Suzy, who was Zed's girlfriend, some of the time. Greg was in love with Suzy, and so was I, or so it seemed at the time. I was fifteen, and easily confused about emotions. I was feeling passionate all through the autumn and winter, passionate about Suzy, and Led Zeppelin.
I see that this chapter is just 377 words long. Short enough even for your limited attention span. You can't argue with that.

Chapter Two

Most of this book is a record of conversations between myself and my friend Manx. Even when I haven't bothered writing it down so it looks like a conversation, or putting quotation marks round the text, it's most probably something I've been talking to Manx about.
The title of this novel could have been 'Conversations With My Friend Manx." That would have been a good name for a book. Snappy, and accurate. But I rejected it because I wanted to have 'Led Zeppelin' in the title. After all, that is what this book is mainly about, me going to see led Zeppelin when I was at school and telling my friend Manx about it a long time afterwards.
I am very fond of Manx. She’s always prepared to listen to my Led Zeppelin stories. I talk to her every day, usually on the phone. Other times we email each other. Sometimes we meet but since Manx had her baby she finds it difficult to make arrangements. Despite the high quality of my Led Zeppelin stories, Manx is frequently depressed. She's been depressed since she had the baby. I intend to cheer her up. It's my mission in life.
"So", says Manx. "Were you there on that day in 1972 when Led Zeppelin came to Glasgow?"
"I certainly was, Manx. And I'll tell you all about it. I will tell you about it in a manner similar to the way Plato tells his readers about Socrates in The Symposium, which is a very interesting book, relating all manner of things through the person of Appollodorus, who heard about it from Aristodemus."
"That's fascinating," says Manx. "But don't get carried away. Your Ancient Greek stories were last year. This year it's Led Zeppelin."
Socrates, who lived around 400 BC, still makes the occasional appearance in the modern world. Only a few years ago he featured in a film, Bill and Ted's Big Adventure. I enjoyed that. I liked Bill and Ted. They would have loved the Led Zeppelin gig.