GET IN THE SEA! Online phenomenon publishes printed put-down bible – and reveals he’s a Mackem

Author Andy Dawson with his book Get In The Sea.
Author Andy Dawson with his book Get In The Sea.
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A Sunderland author who coined a phrase that’s become a social media phenomenon has penned a book about the craze.

When Andy Dawson from Barnes started using “Get in the Sea” as a put down to celebrities on Twitter, he had no idea it would soon get picked up in common parlance.

Just ten months later, his Get in the Sea Twitter account has amassed 130,000 followers and built up 170,000 likes on Facebook.

Publishing giant Penguin picked up on his pithy comments about trendy fads and politicians and commissioned him to extend his musings into a book.

“I’m quite angry and opinionated on Twitter,” said the dad-of-two who has more than 17,000 followers on his account. “But I realised I needed a new outlet for my profanities because people don’t want to read me ranting and raving all day long on my own account.

“I’d heard people using the phrase Get in the Bin and Get in the Sea, but the Get in the Bin twitter handle had already been taken, so I went with Get in the Sea. I started putting things in the sea and it took off really quickly, within 2/3 weeks there were 30,000 followers on Twitter.”

Author Andy Dawson getting in the sea at Roker.

Author Andy Dawson getting in the sea at Roker.

Andy, who’s written for national newspapers and magazines, added: “The people who go in there are people who don’t deserve to be on dry land. I try and make sure it’s people in a position of power or people desperately seeking attention. There’s a lot of hipster things go in there, like baubles for beards and ridiculous London ideas like the cereal cafe that’s been set up.

“It’s become a community of like-minded people, especially on Facebook.”

The Facebook and Twitter sites came to the attention of Penguin who asked the 43-year-old to extend the rants into a 50,000 word novel.

Priced £9,99, it will go on sale on February 25 from Waterstones and Amazon.

A book reading will take place on February 29 from 7.30pm at Pop Recs in Stockton Road. Entry is £2.50 with all proceeds being ploughed back into the community hub. Signed copies of the book will be available on the night.

•To book for the Pop Recs night visit http://getinthesea.com/sunderland/
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