Doctor Who Autobiographies

[Si Hunt]

That cover is horrendous. Autobiographies should be dignified, aside from extreme cases e.g if someone were a comedian. Liz is an actress in her sixties, so who-ever decided to give it a 'b-movie' font and Austin Powers stylistic template wants shooting. Appalling!

Si.

[Stuart Wallis]

I'll get me coat then.

Seriously, it does seem as though about ten minutes and two-and-sixpence has been spent on that cover. Bloody dull and unoriginal title, a photo you've only not seen if you've only been a Sladen fan since season 2 of SJA, and I suppose it was oly a matter of time before her literary agent poked their head above the parapet...

[Rob McCow]

Could it be even worse than this?

[Paul Monk]

Given that everyone has access to photoshopping software these days and that you can get half decent results by playing around for a couple of hours, there really isn't any excuse for such bad covers, even if you are small press.

Has anyone read Matthew Waterhouse's auto bio yet? Sounds fun, if very bitchy.

[SiHart]

It was a great read Paul- not perhaps as bitchy as the extracts made it out to be, but with plenty of gossip! I think he aquits himself fairly well, and he's self depracating enough to make it all rather fun to read.
I hope this will lead to a bit of a rehabilitation of his reputation. As he says he was very young and very much in awe of the prgramme at the time, and had his illusions smashed very fast.

Si xx

[Simon R]

They should have got Lis to sit outside a hotel with a typewriter and a glass of Merlot and used that as the cover shot...

[SiHart]

That would be superb!

Si xx

[Stuart Wallis]

If anyone from the world of Who that hasn't written their autobiography yet reads this, get our Mr. Ballard to do a sympathetic job of the editing, as he did with Daddy's Girl, and Mr. Rayner to think up the idea for the cover.

[Rob McCow]

On my wish list:

Mary McMillan's 'We Arched Our Backs (As Dancers Can)'
and!
Carol Anne Ford's 'Simple Sandwiches'

[Stuart Wallis]

We leave you, dear reader, to ponder on the possible fillings...

[P-Bal]

I didn't edit the Watling tome...!!

I would be very surprised if that is the cover; I'd be more inclined to believe it's something knocked up by Amazon for the pre-selling.

It would be nice to think of Daddy's Girl having a sub-title, I told Debs it should have been "I Was Never A Tart Dear..."

Work has begun on my next victim (so cross everything!).

Not JACKIE LANE: Out of the Wilderness, a stinging attack on her co-stars written in the third person either!

[SiHart]

Oh that's a shame. I was so sure Jackie would have a good story to tell of his four stories and all her co-stars too.

I'll be interested to see who goes up next. It's a growing market at the moment this DW star autobiographies.

Si xx

[P-Bal]

See who's next to try a book, or "suck it and see"..!

[WhiteCrowNZ]

Oh that's a shame. I was so sure Jackie would have a good story to tell of his four stories and all her co-stars too.

Dirt you mean? It would be interesting.

Maybe we need to move on to directors or producer autobiogs now (although I don't think we have many living producers left have we?). Does Terrance Dicks have one?

[Rob McCow]

Terrance Dicks?

"And at page 144, I stopped."

[P-Bal]

Producer autobiographies might be a very limited field I fear...

[Stuart Wallis]

It would be nice to think of Daddy's Girl having a sub-title, I told Debs it should have been "I Was Never A Tart Dear..."

I dread to ask which one of you was...

I didn't edit the Watling tome...!!

Apologies for showing my ignorance. Do you mind if I ask in what capacity do you help Debbie and your latest - I don't want to use your word, victim, you'll end up with a reputation like mine!

[P-Bal]

I'm resisting the term "ghost writer", so co-writer seems fair cop!

Latest victim seems fair cop too!!!

[WhiteCrowNZ]

Producer autobiographies might be a very limited field I fear...

Surely it doesn't matter who they are ... as long as they're good on gossip.

I think Terrance Dicks would be an interesting one - he always seems to have great stories when he's at conventions or on DVD extras.

[shada pavlova]

Surely it doesn't matter who they are ... as long as they're good on gossip.

I think he meant that there aren't that many producers that are still in a position to write an autobiography.

In fact, I can only think of three.

[Stuart Wallis]

Latest victim seems fair cop too!!!

So you are killing them when you've finished then!

[P-Bal]

Oh nothing so cruel! When I finish I just move onto the next one. Like the Pirate Planet!

[Stuart Wallis]

Only I'd like Debbie back now please...

[P-Bal]

Promoting the book in her hometown.

[SiHart]

The new cover for Sladen's autobiography is even worse:



Si xx