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Fiva given huge accolade by Joe Simpson

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I should have mentioned this earlier ... some may have seen ... Joe Simpson gave my book 'Fiva: An Adventure That Went Wrong' the ultimate accolade on Twitter last Friday:

Joe Simpson @TouchingTheVoid‬‬
FIVA by Gordon Stainforth - Wonderful, nostalgic, gripping, classic epic yarn with great humour deserves to win many many awards - read it
 mikehike 11 Jul 2012
In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

Nice to here.
I loved Fiva, I found it a riveting read.

Could you promote the book via Radio 4 Open Book program?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qp6p

I take it you've submitted the book here
http://www.boardmantasker.com/site/submission_of_entries.htm

When is the film coming out ;->
 MG 11 Jul 2012
In reply to Gordon Stainforth: Perhaps a premier post for book ads?
In reply to mikehike:
> (In reply to Gordon Stainforth)
>
> Nice to here.
> I loved Fiva, I found it a riveting read.

Thanks, Mike. Great to hear it.
>
> Could you promote the book via Radio 4 Open Book program?
> http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qp6p

My agent has been trying ... haven't heard the latest. Plus a copy was sent to Mariella Frostrup separately, a few weeks ago. We have a publicist chasing that up.

>
> I take it you've submitted the book here
> http://www.boardmantasker.com/site/submission_of_entries.htm

Yes, ages ago.... And to Banff ...
>
> When is the film coming out ;->

We do actually have a TV producer interested, but again, I haven't heard anything for a while. There are two big problems of a movie version 1) the story is mostly about internal thoughts and emotions 2) to have 'actors' on the actual route, in similar conditions that we experienced, would be desperately dangerous. That gully is fantastically exposed to rock fall. Also, the descent route we used is also in a v bad state at the moment (well, it was in 2009) as a result of recent avalanches. There are a lot of fantastically dangerous perched boulders piled on top of each other. We tried going up it in 2009 for about 400 feet but turned back.

In reply to MG:
> (In reply to Gordon Stainforth) Perhaps a premier post for book ads?

I don't think it needs it really ... the 'word of mouth' seems to be developing v nicely in the climbing world. What we're really hoping for now is a cross over to the general reading public. Mind you, I have been v pleasantly surprised by the enthusiastic reactions of all the non-climbers I know who have read it. And, amazingly, it seems to appeal to old and young alike - from 14-90!

 MG 11 Jul 2012
In reply to Gordon Stainforth: Not what I meant, as you well know.
 Sir Chasm 11 Jul 2012
In reply to Gordon Stainforth: Perhaps he means that if you're going to advertise on ukc you should pay for the privilege. Possibly, d'ya think?
In reply to Sir Chasm:

Oops, I see what you mean. I'd better shut up! But my opening post was simply an enthusiastic news item. I think a lot of people post on here when something good happens to them.
 Mark Collins 11 Jul 2012
In reply to Gordon Stainforth: I assume you weren't paid to upload those great photos to your UKC gallery, so I don't see why people think you should use and pay for a premier post. Just my two penneth worth.
 Darron 11 Jul 2012
In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

I think Gordon has spent enough time on here to have earned the odd pitch for his book
 The New NickB 11 Jul 2012
In reply to Gordon Stainforth:
> (In reply to Sir Chasm)
>
> Oops, I see what you mean. I'd better shut up! But my opening post was simply an enthusiastic news item. I think a lot of people post on here when something good happens to them.

Don't worry Gordon, I think most of us can tell the difference between taking pleasure in people saying nice things about your work and a cynical attempt at free advertising.
 winhill 11 Jul 2012
In reply to Gordon Stainforth:
> (In reply to Sir Chasm)
>
> Oops, I see what you mean. I'd better shut up! But my opening post was simply an enthusiastic news item. I think a lot of people post on here when something good happens to them.

Don't worry about it Gordon, you wouldn't be able to separate the ad from the news, like this post.

Fiva For A Fiver has a nice ring to it ifyou're thinking about advertising.
 rallymania 11 Jul 2012
In reply to Darron:

you're probably right, however i think we should keep an eye on him and make sure he doesn't take advantage too much... how many free mentions should we give him?

one-a, two-a, three-a, four-a, fiva?


(ahem)
 Andy Mountains 11 Jul 2012
In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

Just ordered it this minute!
In reply to Andy Mountains:

Well, thanks. Beyond that, I'm not really allowed to comment, am I? All I can tell you is that it's lovely weather looking out of my window now, and 'it's' looking good. Cheers.
 Sheffield Sam 11 Jul 2012
Certainly a well deserved accolade Gordon, I near enough read Fiva in one sitting, though I was in a tent in Langdale getting rained on at the time. A fantasic book and one I shall read again and again no doubt!
 Gazlynn 11 Jul 2012
In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

I have ordered it yesterday and will read it next week as I am on my holiday to northumberland and no doubt it will rain all week

cheers


Gaz

In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

I'm just waiting for my mate to finish it then i'm borrowing it. If it's as good as everyone says, i will lend his copy to all my friends who fancy reading it. Thx!

 Offwidth 11 Jul 2012
In reply to MG:

Come on! Gordon's devoted much of his life to climbing, climbing writing and climbing photography and as far as I can tell he is hardly what you'd descibe as rich. He also spends a lot of time on UKC and is nearly always the model of helpfulness and politeness.

The book is one of only two climbing books that gripped me so much that I read them non-stop at full pace, the other being Touching the Void. It seems to be a bit of a 'marmite' book for climbers but unlike marmite most haven't sampled it yet to work out which side they fall.
 MG 11 Jul 2012
In reply to Offwidth: All right. I was probably grumpy earlier. Apologies.
In reply to Offwidth:

Thanks for your nice comments, Steve. It's funny how people always assume one is better off than one is. I think I'm a very typical writer, who can only just keep his head above water. For the last decade I have hovered around a zero bank balance, so my very recent upturn in fortune is very welcome indeed.
 Simon Caldwell 11 Jul 2012
In reply to Offwidth:

Is it as good as Tony Howard's book? I read that in a single sitting, which is unusual for me.
 Offwidth 11 Jul 2012
In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

Your welcome: now you're in the mode of 'pacy bestseller' material is there a sequel where alongside climbing a death defying route you deal with a religious fanatics' plot and save the world from a nuclear winter, find the elegant solution to Fermat's last theorem and stay loyal to your partner despite temptation from some of the most beautiful women in the world?
 Offwidth 11 Jul 2012
In reply to Toreador:

Next but one after JD for me ...I'll let you know. I made the time consuming decision of starting Neil Stephenson's Baroque trilogy (all 2700+ close printed pages) after enjoying Crytomonicom a few years ago... more marmite!!
In reply to Offwidth:
> (In reply to Gordon Stainforth)
>
> Your welcome: now you're in the mode of 'pacy bestseller' material is there a sequel where alongside climbing a death defying route you deal with a religious fanatics' plot and save the world from a nuclear winter, find the elegant solution to Fermat's last theorem and stay loyal to your partner despite temptation from some of the most beautiful women in the world?

You may find this hard to believe but I have six book projects that I want to do (as a minimum) before I shuffle off this mortal coil. They're all in a much more advanced stage than mere ideas, many having huge files of notes already. My long-standing philosophy book (20 years work) is virtually written in my head but has to take about 4th place until I have more commercial success. My most likely next book will be autobiographical, telling the story of my time in the film industry (not just about working with Stanley Kubrick, but much more than that). I intend to make it as entertaining and amusing as possible, though there were some scary moments.

And yes, one of the projects is a novel ... that will be a fantastic roller coaster ride, based on some true experiences of mine, though much imagination will be required re the last ingredient you mention or should that be



 Sheffield Sam 11 Jul 2012
In reply to Toreador:
> (In reply to Offwidth)
>
> Is it as good as Tony Howard's book? I read that in a single sitting, which is unusual for me.

Yes I think it is, it compliments the Tony Howard book quite well actually.

 mikehike 11 Jul 2012
In reply to Sheffield Sam: Ive just ordered a copy of Troll Wall by Tony Howard, cheers for the heads up.
 ericinbristol 11 Jul 2012
In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

Doing well on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fiva-Adventure-That-Went-Wrong/dp/0957054300/ref=sr...

16 five star reviews as well as the glittering array of endorsements...
Kipper 11 Jul 2012
In reply to Gordon Stainforth:
> I should have mentioned this earlier ... some may have seen ... Joe Simpson gave my book 'Fiva: An Adventure That Went Wrong' the ultimate accolade on Twitter last Friday:
>

Well done - I think I'll get a copy for my summer holiday (it was Fawcett and Moffatt last year, so it'd better live up to the hype ). I've got the Dawes book that I still haven't read as well.
 Greenbanks 14 Jul 2012
In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

I'm another who will rely on your book as a central component of my holiday reading: ordered today from Amazon, along with several other climbing books. I;m sure I won't be disappointed.
Cheers
Greenbanks
 wilding 16 Jul 2012
In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

Hi gordon, is there a e-book version for kindle?
In reply to wilding:

Not yet - but perhaps near end of the year. The timing is still being discussed but publisher is not in a great hurry with the (cheap) paperback selling well.
 Helen R 20 Jul 2012
In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

Hi Gordon.
Great recommendations.

Because it's not on kindle (and I'm trying to reduce the amount of air frieght i use), I requested your book through the library last week - I've just been notified that they've ordered 2 copies which should be on their way to New Zealand now. So this book is a worldwide success

Looking forward to reading it.
Helen

 ben b 20 Jul 2012
In reply to Helen R: Well now there's 3 copies in NZ at least
Really enjoyed this - sweaty palms and a terrible sense of dread, but laugh out loud moments of wide-eyed naive innocence too. The only criticism that I can make is I don't think the cover does it justice.

Highly recommended. I picked up this, Joe's new novel and Simon Yates' new books last time I was overseas and Fiva was head and shoulders above the others, enjoyable as they were.

b
In reply to ben b:

Thanks for your great comments, Ben. Have emailed you re. cover.

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