You and Who Else: A History of British Telefantasy as written by the people who watched it.
That's what this book is in a nutshell: it's a collection of essays about television programmes by fans and casual viewers (I have written about Bod, for example, but I'd hardly call myself a Bod fan!) It covers all things from Doctor Who to Ivor the Engine, Life on Mars to Blue Peter...There are 175 essays covering 150 programmes over 62 years in 790 pages. Wow! That's a meaty tome and a welcome addition to anyone's telefantasy book collection - and indeed should appeal to anyone who has really enjoyed the sheer variety of British television down the years.
And those of us who have contributed pieces aren't doing so for fame or fortune - all royalties go to the Terrence Higgins Trust.
But then there are plenty of contributors who don't need to seek fame or fortune because they are already known and respected within the world of telefantasy; Richard Marson, Paul Vanezis, Gary Russell, John Dorney, Steve Roberts, Keith Topping, Ian Farrington, Kevin Davies, Phil Ford amongst others. And then there are plenty of 'unknowns' like myself. So not only does this book encompass a massive swathe of British television since the 1950s it also gives voice to a wide variety of people from all walks of life, with varying experiences, who all have a particular story to tell involving a particular TV programme.
I'd like to thank Watching Books and particularly the editor JR Southall (Twitter @JR_Southall) for giving me the opportunity to reminisce about how I discovered Quatermass II (I'm not old enough to have seen it on TV before anyone asks) and to work over some theories about childhood memories and Bod.
I'd urge everyone to buy it, not because I've contributed to it (I'm not vain like that) but because so much love and hard work has gone into it from so many people, and it's a truly worthy piece for a truly worthy cause.
Available as a hard copy and also a kindle e-book
http://watchingbooks.weebly.com/you-and-who-else.html
Blake's Heaven, also from Watching Books, to which I contributed as well, is still available either as a hard copy or as a Kindle e-book (royalties donated to Children In Need)
http://watchingbooks.weebly.com/blakes-heaven.html
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