...and announces a 2023 tour

Josie Long has written her first book, Chortle can reveal – a collection of short stories.

Because I Don't Know What You Mean And What You Don’t is due to be published next year, with publishers Canongate saying: ‘Each tale paints a life in miniature and offers an escape chute from the catastrophes of modern life.’

Stories in the 256-page collection are summarised as follows:

• Three teenagers believe they are witches.
• A woman defaces a local billboard.
• A bored landlord tries to influence his son's best friend.
• A cul-de-sac WhatsApp group discusses eggs at length.
• A heavily pregnant woman finds a way to time travel and a girl discovers joy on a stolen bicycle…

News of the title – set to be published in hardback in June – comes as Long  announces her biggest UK tour so far, with 39 dates across 2023.

The new show, Re-Enchantment, covers her turning 40, having her second child, moving to Glasgow and getting diagnosed with ADHD.

Blurb for the show – which debuted at the Edinburgh Fringe this August – satys the comedian is ‘even more delirious with tiredness and chock-full of confused emotion about the ever-changing, terrible yet beautiful world around her’.

Radio 4 regular Long was the first woman to be nominated three times for Edinburgh Comedy Award (in 2010, 2011 and 2012) and has previously performed nine UK tour.

» Josie ​Long tour dates - and our review of the show from Edinburgh.

» Preorder Because I Don't Know What You Mean And What You Don’t from Waterstones

Published: 31 Oct 2022