Celebrating the Anniversary of Tamboura

Two years ago today, on December 10th 2022, I collected my book, Tamboura from Cowry Publishing in Aberaeron. The joy beaming from my face in this picture expresses my delight more eloquently than words ever could. I will always remember that moment, standing on the sea shore in my favourite red coat, the book in my hand tangible proof that my dream had become reality.

To celebrate this anniversary, I would like to give copies of my book, on kindle, to five of my subscribers. If you would like to be one of the five, please re-stack this essay, with a comment, and I will put your name in a hat and ask my grand-daughter to pick five names on December 21st. (and you are welcome to subscribe now if you’d like to take part)

I am really proud of Tamboura. I wanted to show what life was like in the heady days of sixties London, in the early seventies in Afghanistan, and being part of the ‘back to the land’ movement in West Wales in the late seventies. Above all I wanted to give an eye-witness account of being in the presence of a living saint, a woman who showed me how to be one hundred percent present in my life, and gave me such unconditional love that my heart has continued to expand ever since. And I wished to ignite a spark of longing in anyone who read my book, and inspire them to begin, or continue, their own search for truth, meaning and beauty in this strange and wonderful world we live in. You can read more about my experience of writing Tamboura here.

The day after I collected my book, my lovely son became very ill, and most of 2023 was taken up with supporting him. In fact, for much of 2024 I have been recovering from the trauma of his 18 months of illness. Although I had a wonderful launch at the University of Wales Lampeter on 25^th January 2023, I did not have the time or energy to promote Tamboura.

Cowry Publishing do not have the same publicity resources as a large publishing company, which means Tamboura has not been widely promoted. Despite that Tamboura has reached many people, and I’ve received some wonderful feedback, such as this one from Ms J R Shepheard

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book - so much so I could hardly put it down. It is wonderfully evocative of people and places with the thread and sound of a beautiful musical instrument weaving through the colour and exhilaration of the author's life experiences. The book is full of passion and wonderment, uplifting and joyful as it builds to a crescendo with the author's meeting with her spiritual teacher and connects with the love that is our birth-right.

In August of 2024 six copies of Tamboura were on sale in the Arati General Store in upstate New York, and I was chuffed beyond words to see my book on sale in such excellent company.

So today I am re-launching Tamboura here on Substack, with the intention of reaching out to a wider audience. I would love your support, whether it’s entering the celebration giveaway by re-stacking this essay with a comment, reviewing Tamboura here on Substack, on Goodreads or Amazon, or sending me your suggestions. I am really looking forward to hearing from you.

Here is an excerpt to give you a taste:

Everything in the universe has a rhythm, everything dances.

Maya Angelou (1928-2014)

LONDON 1967

Friday night was UFO night, the best night of the week.

Tonight, as we had every Friday for the past five weeks, Vicky and I chose clothes that the liquid lights would bring to flowing life as we danced, and make us part of the mesmeric visual experience that was UFO. My favourite dress was one I’d made myself, from a length of sunset coloured, tie-die silk. The look was floaty and colourful. We walked the short distance to Hampstead Station and jumped on a Northern Line train to Tottenham Court Road, talking non-stop all the way.

UFO, which stands for Unidentified Flying Objects, opened shortly after we moved back to London, in January 1967. By mid-February we were recognized as regulars, and often let in for free, no doubt because we were such great dancers.

We joined the line of people on the steps which lead down to the UFO club. Every time the door opened the thrum of music and the tang of beer, smoke, and humans leaked up to us, which only added to the sense of excitement and anticipation. And then we were in, immersed in the colours and sounds of the psychedelic revolution that was unfolding around us. A Marilyn Monroe movie was on the screen behind the stage. Multi-coloured globules of liquid light danced to a dissonant cacophony of notes, and a visceral bass rhythm vibrated through the floor and our bodies.

We moved through the darkness, weaving our way around swaying dancers and static groups of people, settling into the unique feel of UFO: a club where anything could happen, and often did; where art and music explored uncharted ground, and where nothing mattered more than freedom.

The music gave way to a deep male voice reading a poem by William Burroughs. The words danced in my brain; inciting images more vivid than a Disney film.

Pink Floyd exploded into their first set. I lifted off, like a rocket bound for outer space, dropping all that tethered me to planet Earth as I reached for the stars. Dancing to Pink Floyd was like flying straight to heaven: heady, transcendent and euphoric. I moved with a free and sinuous grace, like a willow tree in a summer breeze. Bubbles of pulsing lights played across my body. I lost myself completely in the music and the ever-changing patterns of light, until night surrendered to day once more.

Thank you for reading my words, I really appreciate your presence.

With love

Josie

Here is a link to buy Tamboura in print or on Kindle