Recently in Tim Category

Last week in Amsterdam, I reveiled to the book people that Tim's house really exists. They were dying to see it, so we used our new toy, the Tonino-Google, and found the photo. I thought we took the picture while committing architectural tourism in the Vinex location Ypenburg in the Summer of 2003, but Michiel's iron memory -and studying maps- told us we must have wandered away from there and ended up in the Koningin Julianastraat in Nootdorp. Though we cannot be completely sure. But the publisher can go rent a bus, invite the NRC editorial staff, and organize an excursion to present a free copy of "het bed van Tim" to the proud owners of Tim's house.

The street definitively needs different lamp posts.

See, Big Brother knows I'm flying in, "het bed van Tim" payable with airmiles, LOL. From a V&D (department store) flyer. Thanks to Lex for emailing it to me. Send me more!

(If you look closely, you can see they used an old image, with the typography from before Piet Schreuders did his magic.)

The contest has been won by my dear colleague Lex van de Oudeweetering! It's him above, proudly showing you "het bed van Tim", in "boekhandel Veenendaal", Amersfoort. He will receive a signed copy, congratulations. Of course Lex couldn't resist being a little mean. He took a picture of Tim leaning against two (yes, some people get to draw more than one book) books by my NRC co-worker Sieb Posthuma, and one of them is the bookstore's recommendation. So, yes Lex, I will be modest about my achievements. My book is part of a much more famous series though.

I found an online bookstore selling my book! And I'm choice of the week on some radio program. Gotta keep googling "Het bed van Tim", fun fun. Real Estate news: home inspection today. The sellers have not quite been telling the truth in the listing about the updated electrical wiring. So our agent is trying for a couple of thousands discount again. What a world.

Before we went to the cottage I told you that Tim had arrived, but it turns out they were advanced copies. The bulk is still on it's way from China. Anyway, I can show it, that's what counts. The celebratory book launch will take place end of September and then -or even before that, who knows- Tim will finally be in the bookstores. My book will even be distributed by the Dutch Railways, now isn't that lovely!

The publisher sent me the Tim layout. The colours are hidious, but that's just software I hope. The graphic design in the book is partly great fantastic and tasteful. The title page is a masterpiece. After all, the graphic design has been done by a very well known designer. I have serious doubts and concerns about a couple of pages however. I emailed the publisher about those concerns, but it's probably too late anyway. The book is coming out in August instead of May. I hope and pray it will look good.

I added a tiny little mother on one of the drawings, and that is really the last Tim thing I'll do. Yesterday I didn't have anything to blog, sorry. I went to the Dutch pub night. Which is very funny, a pub full of Dutch in the middle of Toronto. Last night it took place in a restaurant on the 51st floor. And you know what, ever since we live here, we ask ourselves why Canadians don't wash their windows. Even a restaurant whith a view as its only appeal has dirty windows. Rare jongens, die Canadezen. The pub nights chairman is the cousin of a Dutch TV celebrity, and it's weird how much they are alike. Looks, gestures, voice, humour, weird, weird. But ours is straight, which is even weirder. If you ask me. And very nice, by the way.

A few corrections here and there, but otherwise ready! Ha, almost a week before deadline. Now I can clean my house, go downtown, do anything I want. Oh no, have to get my daughter some vaccinations tomorrow. And my son to the dentist with a broken tooth. Okay, I'll mother.

Although this is obviously the last page in the book, I still have to do two more.

Does the doggy want to sleep in the bed?