Songs are Stories

Paperback Writer

Dear Sir or Madame, will you read my book, it took me years to write, won't you take a look?

Hi! My name is Zoe Green. My dream has always been, and always will be, to write stories! In fact, I have one that I think would make a great book... but... how can a 13 year old girl get a book published?

Well. That is, I suppose, how the adventure started.

You see, the other thing is, I looooooovvvveee The Beatles (don't we all?) and my story was a kind of fanfiction. I knew if I managed to get it published... the Beatlemaniacs out there would be all over it! So... this is what happened.

I decided the best thing to do was to photocopy the book (at this current moment in time 45 pieces of paper stapled together in an extremely messy way) and send a copy to a few publishers.

With a little help from my friends (Reference! Yay!) I managed to do this although my Dad killed me when he realised I used all the ink in the printer.

I sent the book to three companies, along with a letter about why they should totally publish the book. The companies were Red Stripe, Davidson and finally Papegeno and Son's.

Of course, it wasn't easy getting some proper professional publishers to take on a kid's story. I got some pretty harsh comments to be honest... in fact... I think I'll just show you exactly what they said! Here is the letter I received a month later from the Davidson company.

Dear Miss Green,

Thank you very much for sending in your book but we would kindly request you never write to us again.

Despite being fairly original I doubt we could take on such poor grammar and publish ideas that so obviously are false.

Yours truly,
Davidsons

So that was a little off-putting but I knew the next letter I received would be full of great news!

It wasn't.

Unlike the other company who had at least TRIED to be polite, the next was was just downright rude, even by my standards.

This is Papageno and Son's. Your book will never go anywhere. Good try. Maybe grow up and get some English lessons Miss Green.

By this point I was having a total breakdown. Maybe I couldn't write stories? Maybe they were right? For a few weeks I was absolutely distraught. I couldn't concentrate in lessons and I couldn't get the book off my mind.

Then finally finally finally finally... the final letter from the Red Stripe company came on the post.

Dear Miss Green,

My name is Lucy Goldbun and I work for Red Stripe. Like you obviously are, I am a huge Beatlemaniac and I love the concept of your book!

I know age doesn't matter when it comes to writing and you certainly have talent! I have taken the liberty of turning your story into a book that will soon be available in stores! I have however sent you the very first copy in a parcel with this letter.

If you like the look of it please write back soon and I will be happy to arrange for a small number to be printed and sold, for example, 1000 or so? If they sell quickly we can produce many more!

Yours sincerely,
Lucy Goldbun

I was absolutely delighted! A publishing company had taken on my book! Grinning, I tore open the parcel that came with the letter. Inside was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen, a hardback book bound in a leather cover... an artistic picture of John and Paul was the cover picture and the title was emblazoned on the front in multicoloured font.

"McLennon"

The End