That’s the end of that, then.
If you've not seen already, this is who I am. I will, in due course, alter the 'About' page and all of that. Bit busy at the moment.
I don't really have much to add to that - it was hardly Kendo Nagasaki being unmasked by Big Daddy, or anything like that. No biggy. I'm just still the same person I always was, just you might have a slightly different impression now. Who knows.
All I will say is that I have been somewhat overwhelmed - well, more than somewhat if I'm being honest - about the responses from people today, both people that I know, that I know online, and who I don't know at all. I have tried to thank all of you but I am sorry if I have left anyone out. (I even seem to have managed to (by and large) avoid the endless nest of vipers in the CiF, which is bizarre, but then again, I'm not a woman, so that might well have something to do with it.)
Anyway, hello. Nice to meet you, as me. The blog isn't going anywhere, by the way, and should be carrying on with the same old nonsense, just like it always did, I'm sure you're glad to hear. Keep calm and carry on, and all of that. And no, the monkey's not going anywhere, either. He's a bit of a good luck mascot after all this time, so he's staying put.
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About Me
Hello. I'm a Bristol-based writer and soon-to-be-redundant journalist. You can read more about me and the Enemies site here, or follow me on Twitter. Email me if you like - antonvowl at live dot co dot uk
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October 26th, 2010 - 17:26
Phew! Glad the blog is staying the same, oh human one.
October 26th, 2010 - 17:28
So you’re not Belle de Jour, then?
October 26th, 2010 - 17:29
This is seriously brave shit – good stuff.
October 26th, 2010 - 17:32
Christ, that’s a relief. I was worried about the monkey.
October 26th, 2010 - 17:42
Wow, you look absolutely nothing like how I imagined you… I think I always imagined you as that monkey on the right
October 26th, 2010 - 20:01
I was going to say the same. In fact, I think I will continue to picture the monkey. It has a bigger picture, for a start.
October 26th, 2010 - 17:56
You’re NOT a monkey!?
I will never trust another anonymous blogger on the internet AGAIN!
October 26th, 2010 - 18:10
Whooop.
Nice to meet you
October 26th, 2010 - 18:48
Damnit, I had in my mind some bearded Castro-esque figure, chomping on a cigar (or a banana)…
just kiddin. Nice to meet you, I might reveal myself one day (when I no longer require the cloak of anonymity).
October 26th, 2010 - 18:56
So how about the name? I mean ‘Vowl’ is sort of Bristolian-ish (loik Venn) but Anton? As in Diffring? Or Ant on Dec?
October 27th, 2010 - 09:28
I’d always assumed that this was the source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Void
October 26th, 2010 - 19:04
It would be a sad sight to see the monkey go.
Perhaps a photo of you holding the monkey? perhaps a stroll in the park with the monkey, candle-lit meal? Too far?
October 26th, 2010 - 19:05
As I tweeted earlier -I think you’re very brave to reveal yourself.
Nice to meet you
p.s. the monkey must be pissed off tho’.
October 26th, 2010 - 19:07
Bloody hell. I saw the title of the post and thought the worst. Well, not *the* worst but, y’know.
Keep on with the Enemies, especially as revealing your real self has reduced your blackmail potential to the press somewhat.
October 26th, 2010 - 19:30
You and the monkey are hanging around then. Phew. That’s good news.
I’m glad its been a mostly positive thing, as the internet can be a right cuntish place at times.
October 26th, 2010 - 19:55
Oops. Scrub the previous. I’ve just read the whole article…
October 26th, 2010 - 21:30
I read your piece on CiF. Well done. If you wish to continue dancing on the MSM, don’t do the cloacamotion with RLj.
October 26th, 2010 - 21:38
Wow, second of my prefered bloggers coming out in the space of a few weeks. Good luck and keep up the good work!
October 26th, 2010 - 21:43
Luckily for us, though, it’s not really the end of anything.
October 27th, 2010 - 08:14
It wasn’t until I saw your pic that I realised that I always imagined you having a ludicrous Dali style moustache… I don’t know why.
Any chance of you growing a crazy moustache just so I can merge the 2 images of you I now have in my head? I think you might suit an Earl Kitchener rather than a Dali.
October 27th, 2010 - 08:23
You’re the worst black man ever.
October 27th, 2010 - 08:50
I can’t stand people who don’t use their real names on blogs.
October 27th, 2010 - 10:11
I had always assumed your real name was Anton Vowl. Jesus do I feel dumb
October 27th, 2010 - 10:13
When does the paywall go up?
October 27th, 2010 - 11:34
Not long now. Just when I’ve roped everyone into thinking it’s free…
October 27th, 2010 - 10:23
I congratulated you on yesterdays CIF piece on twitter and you graciously (and unnecessarily, if truth be told) acknowledged. But Twitter didn’t give me the opportunity to express my reaction to the piece adequately.
When started reading I immediately thought “that’s my mate Anton he’s talking about” before my thoughts comically trailed off in a similar way to Wiley Coyote only falling from his suspended height when he realises the ground is not directly underfoot.
What struck me hard on landing in my body shaped hole in the ground (if I can superfluously continue the cartoon analogy) was that he’s not my mate Anton, whom I always assumed looked a bit like a little stuffed Orange Monkey.
There is a real person who cannot just be written off as “a wage slave” behind this excellent blog. A real, flawed, insecure person whom I don’t know from Adam (but wish I did) who has lightened my day almost every working day since lordy knows how long.
Thank you Steven Baxter, for keeping me entertained and outraged. Long may you continue.
October 27th, 2010 - 11:16
I would like to comment that your writing is superb, sobering, provocative and often hilarious. Good luck with any plans you have to make a living out of writing. You deserve much success.
October 27th, 2010 - 11:59
“Steven Baxter” sounds like a code-name. To be honest, I suspect it’s not that you’re dropping the pseudonym, the monkey’s just created one.
October 27th, 2010 - 13:01
(We all know it’s the monkey who’s really running the show.)
Congratulations!
October 27th, 2010 - 16:13
Great effort Anton (or Steven). Been a reader of yours for years now and its nice to see that the man behind the mask is not afraid to come forward. I don’t know whether I’ll ever think of you as Steven Baxter though, to me you’ll always be a stuffed monkey called Anton Vowl.
October 27th, 2010 - 17:33
Madame Arcati is here ready to bear your children, dearie. xx
October 27th, 2010 - 18:02
!!!!!
October 27th, 2010 - 19:34
I blood love this blog and you make my day with your writing so I shan’t hear this ‘failed writer’ nonsense. You are awesome – enjoy it!
October 27th, 2010 - 20:46
Well done – it must be a very nerve-wracking thing to do. Did have to laugh at ‘probably because I’m not a woman’. Keep up the good work and all that.
October 27th, 2010 - 23:13
I’m slightly disappointed you’re not Stephen Baxter.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Baxter
(I always imagined a desk with the monkey well lit, and the author’s face in shadow. The keyboard, of course, was in the light, as my typing is not so good as to be able to do it in darkness)
October 28th, 2010 - 09:49
I’d like to be him! Good scifi writer.
October 27th, 2010 - 23:16
“I am [...] (a) failed writer and not-very-good working journalist.” Bollocks, sir, bollocks. You are the very opposite.
October 28th, 2010 - 04:50
Hi Anton,
Firstly, I’m sorry about flaming you a while ago when you wrote about journalists. Probably wouldn’t have done that if I’d known you were One Of Us.
Secondly, keep up the excellent work.
Tom
October 28th, 2010 - 09:48
Oh, I don’t mind, I can see it from both sides really. I know decent hardworking journalists get the shitty end of the stick and are facing loads of problems at the moment trying to keep hold of jobs. For that reason, the bad journos who discredit the profession upset me even more.
October 28th, 2010 - 12:54
Nice one, mate.
October 28th, 2010 - 15:58
I’m actually genuinely disappointed to learn that you’re not actually an orange stuffed monkey