books and scumbags
Part 1 The Books
I received the zines for Violence Grow publication, from the printer, on the 24 March 2020, the first day of London lockdown.
I was lucky enough to get the rest of the materials (boxes, colophon, stickers, cover label) in time so I could assemble the packages.
Since it became clear that the Covid will last for a while, I decided to do the launch online.
Although I am a software engineer, specialised in Digital channels, building a Shopify type website looked like fun for the occasion.
Therefore, I have designed and launched this website (culturaltrafficshop.com) in April 2020, as a new hobby, associated to the book publishing one, kind of suitable for the time spent in isolation.
Since then, I have produced and published another three books, under the name of "Cultural Traffic” (Dictator Banknotes 2020, Dictator Postal Stamps 2021, NewAge:Stonehenge to jungle 2022) and before 2020, the Kraftwerk Dance forever, two edition I launched as well.
Acquiring banknotes, stamps, rave flyers, dealing with the printing and shipping companies, assemble the books, shipping to wholesalers worldwide were strenuous and frustrating activities at times as I had to learn everything the hard way and do everything on my own. It was like I was 17 again but hiding the pain behind the face mask now.
Very grateful to all my suppliers for being super supportive and responsive despite the hard times.
Luckly it didn't take long until my new hobby grew up into an investment of quality time and creative energy on top of my highly demanding day job, at the time, which paid to produce the publications and more.
Miraculously, the books became those best friends that never let me down. Having to produce and nurture them during the pandemic years felt like my soul was building a fresh home to protect these still fragile, unspoiled magic stories told through posters, fliers, political material, stamps and banknotes, punk artefacts and more.
To keep the website consistent, I had acquired few other titles and have them made available online, until the Book fairs could take off again.
From my production, Dictator Postal Stamps 2021 is probably, the one I like the most; it is unique and original; when miniture stamps morph into biographers, chroniclers or even bards of an era.
From the books I acquired, Oh So Pretty - Punk In Print remains, by far, my favourite.
While the books have touched my heart and enriched my life in a very special way, not the same applies to their author, Toby Mott.
Part 2 The scumbag
There is no fairy tale without a villain, as the story tellers warn us.
But when the villain is the author on the books you invested in time, money, energy …the villain becomes an ordinary scumbag, and the story tellers reassure us that the good got to do what the good got to do to expose the bad and eventually wipes it off the face of the earth
Since the end of 2017 I have lent to Toby Mott, the books’ author, money for personal use, not related to books, fairs, etc, but to pay his bills, friends and survive, and eventually start doing something useful...as he said on his demands. It was an act of generosity (and pityness) and sadly a generosity that brings you misery long term…
Overall, he owes me, Corina Manu, £50K, in personal loans.
In 2021 I forewarned him that the money must be paid back and in preparation I handed him over the file with all the payments I made, and he must return.
After many demands and terms that I gave him, through emails and personal, face to face, he avoided the accountability and had no decency to start returning the money or make any commitment to do so.
But put his girlfriend, Pippa Hill, to try to trick me in believing he is bankrupt, out of money thus proliferating the chain of lies and dishonesty.
And, as per the same girlfriend information, he does such scums, as a dedicated job, for at least 20 years (see emails in the link provided).
Therefore, I was left with no option but to file for bankruptcy (August 2022).
An guess what...he sent messages of intimidation to my solicitors, trying to play the victim.
After a first court hearing in March 2023, a half day hearing was set up for 6th October 2023 and from what was left from the goodness of my heart, I even agreed on making him an offer...
Anyhow, the Earth turns anticlockwise sometime and, another blow: a London metro and train strike was announced for the Friday, the 6th Oct.
Therefore, the court decided to hold the hearing…remotely, on Teams, not half day, no cross examination but a real weird, court travesty; an ad-hoc judge who didn’t know the case and had to rely on the logorrheic barrister version, a hurry up procedure to fit into 1h11m25s + 15 min for the decision...a real parody.
In the end the judge went for technicality, arguing that I circumvent my way, filing for bankruptcy and my defence layer was not able to sustain the evidence to the contrary although she had enough of it.
The judge of the day decided to set aside my statutory demand, without finding the debtor not guilty as charged though.
In my book, Toby Mott remains a fraudulent old male without shame, decency or dignity and must pay his liabilities, which extend to more than money.
Cross examination trial to follow.
The versed con artists have the survival skills of disguising their true nature as some charm and friendless and many times I wonder how/why these kind of scumbags don't die of shame, or the earth doesn't open under their feet and swallows them...!!
Hopefully, his daughter with Louise Galvin, grew up in a healthy environment and protected, having a smart mother, who filed for removing the name "Mott" from her surnames.
I am posting this story because it is my belief that Dishonesty (crooks), deceitfulness, gaslighting, Sense of Entitlement, to name a few, must be always exposed and sanctioned by any means available...just like in the fairy tales, although this is a pathetic and shameful fairy tale.
I delayed the publishing, giving the debtor yet another chance to redeem himself…in vain though, one a crook always a crook.
You might say: No good deed goes unpunished…not this time...!!
Related artefacts at the link below:
PS It is hard to avoid the collateral damages.
In silence or in chaos, the books will always be good companions, love them for what they are..!!
It is my belief that books should enlighten, delight, and inspire.
The author doesn’t do justice to them...it will not change