Utterly Otterly
February 9, 2006 1:58 AM   Subscribe

Remember Dong Resin's book? (discussion here), well another long term Mefite Johnny Novak has just had his first novel published by Random House in the UK, Sea Otters Gambolling in the Wild, Wild Surf. Watch the trailer (flash, sound) or find out more (link to Vintage site). (via Projects)
posted by the cuban (37 comments total)
 
They do trailers for books now?

Congrats, Johnny Novak, that looks like a good read.

*one-click-orders-the-book*
posted by prolific at 2:24 AM on February 9, 2006


Big up your chest, Johnny Novak.

Get down to the Charing Cross Road and feast in the pleasure of seeing your first novel piled high in the all the capital's bookshops.

*one-click-orders-the-book*


/Metoo.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 2:53 AM on February 9, 2006


I keep seeing adverts for this all over the Tube. I like the picture of the otter. It is a very good otter.

Congratulations!

*waits to buy it from a real-life bookshop*
posted by flashboy at 3:38 AM on February 9, 2006


Auteur! Auteur!
posted by Wolof at 3:45 AM on February 9, 2006


cheers guys,

if nothing much else happens at least I got big, pink otters plastered all over the tube for a couple of weeks.
posted by johnny novak at 3:51 AM on February 9, 2006


i would say well done, but Bertelsmann are cunts.
posted by Kino at 4:17 AM on February 9, 2006


My. That's one, uh, sexy otter.
posted by nebulawindphone at 4:23 AM on February 9, 2006


thanks.
posted by Kino at 4:26 AM on February 9, 2006


Bertelsmann are cunts.

Strong words. Please explain.
posted by IndigoJones at 4:34 AM on February 9, 2006


quite weak really.

if you need explaining why Bertelsmann are cunts i'd hate to see you music collection.
posted by Kino at 4:39 AM on February 9, 2006


mefi doesn't have edit yet? always was different.

although, granted, there was less of ilk to be different to.

youR.
posted by Kino at 4:42 AM on February 9, 2006


Is good. More books, please.
posted by asok at 4:57 AM on February 9, 2006


Godspeed, Johnny Novak!
Now let us never mention that turd of a book of mine again, please.
posted by dong_resin at 5:00 AM on February 9, 2006


if you need explaining why Bertelsmann are cunts i'd hate to see you music collection.

Jazz and classical, mostly. DG and blue note.

No, really, what's the beef with Bertelsman? I ask in the spirit of genuine curiosity, not to invite snide comments and imputations on my taste. (And anyway, is not the subject here books?)
posted by IndigoJones at 5:10 AM on February 9, 2006


blue note is owned by EMI, trumped to third place in worlds largest music companies by sony-BMG [BMG = Bertelsmann]

along with Universal and Warner the four companies small roster accounfs for 85% of all music units bought worldwide while the hundred thousand non major labels have been in the sidelines scraping scaps from the other 15%. was five before the BMG/Sony merger.

what exactly is it you need explained?
posted by Kino at 5:28 AM on February 9, 2006


Congratulations John - it's a damn good read. I'm about 2/3 of the way through, can't wait to get home to finish it tonight.
posted by ceri richard at 5:29 AM on February 9, 2006


Sixteen-year-old Felix is bored and stressed which might be why he's stolen his mother's cash card and travelled half way around the world

Felix, huh? Not, Johnny?
posted by three blind mice at 5:36 AM on February 9, 2006


From an interview with the author,

Bennett says it wasn't too tricky to develop Felix's adolescent voice. "If you think about the defining books about being teenage--The Catcher in the Rye, Adrian Mole--they were all written by people in their 30s and 40s. Of course it isn't really how teenagers speak--they all speak differently--but if you look at the online forums where teenagers hang around, you get a sense of how the language is going. And my generation really pulled teenage back into the 30s anyway--all my mates still play on PlayStations."

...and waste their time hanging around online forums apparently.

Great stuff Johnny_Novak. That interview alone gives me more than enough reason to walk down to the high street and buy a copy the old fashioned way: with cash.
posted by three blind mice at 5:49 AM on February 9, 2006


(And anyway, is not the subject here books?)

Random House = Bertelsmann
posted by Kino at 5:50 AM on February 9, 2006


so anyway, not to make a big thing of it. browse past the inbetween having to explain stuff and take my first post as my only. cheers.
posted by Kino at 5:55 AM on February 9, 2006


what exactly is it you need explained?

Their specific misdeeds and offences against mankind and the law, I guess. The fact that they are a gorilla does not necessarily mean anything by itself.

But this appears to be an ideological divide between us, which I should have picked up on immediately. My bad. (Though again, specific misdeeds would be of interest. I rejoice in tales of bad behaviour.)

(Sorry for the derail, Mr Cuban, Mr Novak. Congratulations on the book, and best wishes thereupon.)
posted by IndigoJones at 6:11 AM on February 9, 2006


Failure to preview- gets you ever time.

Cheers right back at you
posted by IndigoJones at 6:12 AM on February 9, 2006


every time.
posted by IndigoJones at 6:12 AM on February 9, 2006


(Anyway, they can't be all bad. They published this book, didn't they?)
posted by IndigoJones at 6:13 AM on February 9, 2006


what the fuck.

DIE
posted by Kino at 6:15 AM on February 9, 2006


Congratulations, Johnny Novak! I've just ordered the book from Amazon.
posted by salmacis at 6:18 AM on February 9, 2006


Congratulations! This is good news indeed.
posted by OmieWise at 6:42 AM on February 9, 2006


Grats, Johnny Novak! Well done!
posted by jennaratrix at 7:43 AM on February 9, 2006


Well done, Johnny Novak.

Also on the MeFi authorial front, yankeefog looks to be starting a franchise of funny books.
posted by putzface_dickman at 7:50 AM on February 9, 2006


what the fuck.

DIE
posted by Protocols of the Elders of Awesome at 9:45 AM on February 9, 2006


If you have a gambolling problem, call gambollers anonymous.

Aren’t those otters endangered?
posted by Smedleyman at 10:11 AM on February 9, 2006


Kino seems to have an axe to grind. (via MeFi)
posted by Richard Daly at 11:25 AM on February 9, 2006


thanks for all the kind words and those who bought a copy, I hope you enjoy it, particularly the pony jokes.
posted by johnny novak at 1:52 PM on February 9, 2006


good on ya, JN.
posted by shoepal at 3:33 PM on February 9, 2006


Now let us never mention that turd of a book of mine again, please.

Ha-ha! [/nelson]

Good on ya, johnny!
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 5:14 PM on February 9, 2006


~sniffle~
posted by dong_resin at 12:24 PM on February 10, 2006


I read the book this Sunday, while rendered utterly incapable of moving due to a hangover the size of France. Possibly it was the just remaining alcohol still lingering around my bloodstream, but I thought it was a totally fun read.

In fact, I'd probably call it "a warm, witty, wise (and genuinely filthy) page turning romp, with an irresistable narrative voice that's all its own," but only if I was the kind of twat who talks like a book review in his everyday life.
posted by flashboy at 10:11 AM on February 27, 2006


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