Today was posted on the award winning podcast the One Minute How-To an interview I did on how to get a book published. As implied by the name, the show is pretty short, although not quite “one minute” short. So if you want a quick lesson on how to get published (or more than 100 other topics) check it out.

On Monday Aug 27 I had my first TV experience on Ottawa’s CTV News at Noon show with Leanne Cusack. She made me feel really comfortable and had obviously been spending some time enjoying the book because she asked me lots of good questions. The time flew and ten minutes on camera went by in what seemed to me just a wink of an eye.

Jan Freeman, the columnist who writes The Word for the The Boston Globe kindly said the following about my book:

BODY LANGUAGE: It’s bold to give a word book the lip-smacking title “Carnal Knowledge,” and indeed, Charles Hodgson’s new book is more accurately described by its subtitle: “A Navel Gazer’s Dictionary of Anatomy, Etymology, and Trivia.”

But there is ample pleasure, if not titillation, in the lexicographer’s approach to human anatomy. In 1300, for instance, blink wasn’t “to close an eyelid” but “flinch” or “escape” — “the sense blink still has when we say that a soldier or cop doesn’t blink when facing danger.” Wisdom teeth have roots in Rome’s dentes sapientiae. The leading edge of your nose is the dorsum, or “back.”

Not that Hodgson ignores the naughty bits. Between the infraclavicular fossa and the jugular notch is jugs, 20th-century slang with a past that may involve a milk pitcher. Tail and tush get their historical due. But their tales don’t always top the ones about meldrop (think runny nose), calf (think pregnant cow), or Senator Ambrose Burnside’s gift to the language, sideburns.

There was a good crowd out Friday night to the Carnal Knowledge book launch. I saw lots of old friends mixed in with the new faces and was complemented numerous times on the talk I gave about the book. I’m glad people found it interesting and entertaining.

But what I guess I hadn’t been expecting was a lineup for book signings. Most of my partying was done one-on-one as I scribbled my name and a (hopefully) witty message in their newly purchased book.

Everyone seemed to go away happy, including the bookseller Trish who expounded “This is an easy book to sell. It’s interesting to so many people.” I like the sound of that.

I couldn’t have asked for more fun on a Friday night!

Tomorrow is Friday, the book launch party.  (7pm at the Ottawa Bagel Shop, remember?) 

I was lucky to be interviewed by Susan Johnston and Lauren Delrio for their show Friday Special Blend  on CKCU (Carleton University’s radio station) that airs between 7 and 9:30am. 

Then I got a call from another radio station poteintally wanting  interview. I dashed out on my bike to deliver a sample book for them to review and got rained on riding home.  All very exciting. 

Especially exciting when I see that the Chapters stores here in Ottawa are listing none of my books in stock.  I asked the regional Chapters rep and he said the books went out to the stores on August 10th and so should be available in the stores right about now.  At least I know my books are in at Collected Works Bookstore who are going to be selling at the launch.

Oh well, it’ll all work out I’m sure.

I did my first bookstore book reading even before the book was officially out. I recorded it and here are some excerpts courtesy of YouTube.

Thanks to Sydney of The Jade W in Halifax, Nova Scotia for making me feel welcome in her new store. We even sold some books!