Notes Towards the Secret Island

Part psycho-geography, part memoir, part travel and self-help humour book, Notes Towards the Secret Island is a humorous adventure tour around the lost and forgotten corners of England.

Based loosely on Josie's own life this will be a guide to the notable places, people and stories that she has encountered in her life on the road.Josie grew up in St Mary Cray, near Orpington in Kent, where nothing ever happened and she spent her childhood feeling both disappointed and frustrated by the lack of adventure in her life.Her life as a comedian, which started when she was sixteen, introduced her to some of the strangest and most delightful parts and people of this country, and she has developed a comedy routine in part based around the more peculiar incidents that she has encountered.Taking these stories and people as her starting point, Notes Towards the Secret Island is a celebration of some of the lesser well-known parts of the country and their histories, alerting people to hidden gems in museums and public places as well as unusual things to do.For example, included in the V&A's permanent Japan Exhibit are Netsuke, which are basically 15th century Japanese key-rings.

There are hundreds of them, disproportionately too many of them. And a good few of them are of 'Gamma Sennin with his toad'.

There was no more information about them, as if the public would already know who that was and why he had a toad.

Is it obvious to everyone else why he has a toad? Was he so famous for the toad at the time that nobody needed to explain it?

Why are they so many novelty key-rings of this man? He's like the Fido Dido of 15th century Japan.In our day-to-day lives of going from home to work and work to home we tend to ignore the more surreal elements and pastures of this country.

Like Kit Williams' Masquerade, Notes Towards the Secret Island will be an armchair travel guide and treasure hunt that will ultimately inspire people to take to the road to join in Josie's adventures.