Popular Gazette goes global

MY latest edition of Old Hacks Gazette, an occasional publication for relics of the newspaper world, is now winging its way across the globe and will be landing in distant letterboxes in time for Christmas.

Among those featured are the great international freelance Ron Laytner, the late bestselling novelist (and former journalist) Arthur Hailey, the writer-sage Colin Wilson and the Mirror columnist turned author Derek Tangye.

The front-page lead reports the death of my former news desk pal Ralph Slater, who I worked with on the long defunct Evening Post-Echo at Hemel Hempstead.

OHG first appeared on my 70th birthday four years ago. Now it's become a Christmas-time 'must' read for retired hacks across the world, all of them old mates and former colleagues who remember their newspaper days fondly.

This year, the magazine is destined for Bermuda, the Bahamas, France, Australia and the USA, with one copy even heading for an old schoolmate in the Shetlands.

Early feedback has been positive. 'Very good read, as always,' said one recipient. Thanks. I appreciate it.