6 more discounted gift ideas

As I already told you yesterday, Lulu are running a January sale. Giving you the chance to get my wonderful books for even less than the already ludicrously low price.

Until January 31st 2012 you can get 25% off (maximum saving £50) by entering this coupon code when you order:

LULUBOOKUK305

Here are 6 great ways to use that discount:

Gift Idea #7: Bitter!

Yes it's self-promotion time again wearing a (very) thin disguise of present recommendations.

But this is a very special book. One that hasn't ever really been released. More like escaped. And don't pay attention to that Mini Book Series volume number. "Bitter!" is really a Mega Book. Volume III, I think.Or is it II? No, pretty sure Volume II is Mild! plus. Another unreleased book.

At almost 600 pages, I can't really call it a Mini Book. It's packed with all the usual fun stuff: numbers, tables, asinine humour, more tables and some recipes.

Buy "Bitter!" now. Before I decide to hide it again.

Beer gift #8: Trips! (South)

You might be starting to notice a slight theme here. One of me trying to persuade you to buy some of my crappy books. Sorry, I mean thoroughly researched and wittily written books.

"Trips! (South)" is a celebration of pissing it up in the South of Germany. Actually, it's a pub and brewery guide to the beeriest bits of Germany's deep South, where the pigs are roasted, the beer divine and the men are very happy. And some of the women, too.

Munich, Nuremberg, Bamberg, Forchheim, Regensburg, Augsburg, Stuttgart, Bayreuth and Ulm. All the places you're likely to go if, like me, you have an unquenchable thirst for German culture in its most liquid form.

And it's got a groovy new cover by Andrew. I've been trying to persuade him to finish off covers for the whole series. So far his response to my urging has been monosyllabic grunts or shouting. Good to see he's a normal teenager*.

Buy "Trips! (South)" now! Before Andrew hits me.





* He's started treating me the way Simon from the Inbetweeners treats his dad.

Beer gift #9: Trips! (West)

Will I make it to the full 12 books of Christmas? 'Course I will. Even if I have to write some new ones. No, still got enough left that I haven't plugged yet.

Which has got me thinking (I do that at least once every day, think). Maybe I should have a special Christmas release. What do you think? There are a couple of possibilities.

First, there's "Can We Go Home now?" That's Mini Book Series volume III. A slim book of tales of travelling with the kids. It's never been available for sale. I had 10 copies printed and gave them to friends.

Then there's "Strong!". It will eventually be Mega Book Series volume IV. But I might be persuaded to release a Mini Book version.

And finally there's "Let's Brew!". Though I'd need to ask Kristen about that. As it stands, it contains 60-odd recipes from the weekly series.

What am I doing? You've completely distracted me.

Buy "Trips! (West)" now.! (It's s pub guide to towns in the West of Germany.)

Beer gift #10: War! and Peace!

The horse is still twitching a bit. No need to stop flogging it yet. Not until Christmas day.

Though Christmas is partly about familial violence "I got a clout every Christmas" my Aunt Florrie used to say. She had a long list of Yuletide tales which all ended with her Mum or Dad giving her a belt. It didn't seem to have suppressed her indomitable spirit at all. That's the old-time working class for you. Tough as old nails.

This isn't the dull doorstep by that Russian geezer - what was his name? - about a bunch of posh bastards.No, this War and Peace is much better. Not only does the title contain not one but two exclamation marks, it also contains way more about beer. In fact I don't think the Russian one has even a single mention of beer. How useless is that?

This "War! and Peace!" is a celebration* of er, war and peace. But in a beery way. None of that nasty killing and maiming.

Buy "War! and Peace!" today! One's bound to be appropriate to your country.



* I may have used this once or maybe twice before.

Gift idea #11:Mild! plus

Time for a very special book pimping. I've deliberately kept this one back until Christmas eve. No, that's a lie. The real reason is that I only finished it this morning. The Mega Book version of "Mild!". With the rather clumsy title of "Mild! plus".

Why such a shit title? Because I unwisely used the title "Mild!" for the Mini Book version. See my problem?

Where was I? Trying to flog you my new crappy book. What's the difference between this and the Mini Book "Mild!"? About 140 pages. More recipes, more beer details plus a completely new section on Brown Ale. Not that means I think Brown Ale is a type of Mild. Just that there's nowhere more suitable to put the info I have on Brown Ale. I've even added a couple of Brown Ale recipes, you lucky children.

Buy "Mild! plus" now! Before I change my mind.

Gift idea #12: Amsterdam Pub Guide

What better place to end than at the beginning? And the Amsterdam Pub Guide is where my publishing career began way back in  . . . now what year was it? Can't remember, to be honest

Yes, Mini Book Series volume 1. At the time I published, I didn't have my plans for a series of books fully formed. Come to think of it, I still don't. There were supposed to be 11 volumes. But I'm fairly certain I've issued at least 13 volumes, a couple with the same volume number. Hang on, "Scotland" is volume XIV and wasn't "Trips! (East)" volume XIII? I don't envy someone the job of trying to catalogue my books. Even I can't keep track of them

You'll probably have noticed the more professional-looking cover. That's because it was designed by a proper graphic artist, Craig Gravina. Thanks Craig.

More books. That's what the New Year should bring. "Strong!", the final volume in my Mega Book Series, is my number one priority. And maybe "Lager!", if I decide to extend the series to five volumes.

Buy the Amsterdam Pub Guide now! If you plan coming to Amsterdam. Not much point otherwise.