Forthcoming Books

Hey, Guy’s just thought it were time I gave you all an update on forthcoming books, and ‘Behind Closed Doors’

So as you know Behind Closed Doors is due to be published around Dec this year 2019, perhaps a little sooner.

As you will have noticed I have been playing around with different covers for this book, the first I had struggled with in respect of the upload and dimensions via my publishing company.

So I have since tried one or two other designs, you will have to wait and see which one I actually choose, please feel free to tell me your preference your input would be greatly appreciated.

I will be attending Sean Ross Abbey Commemorations again this coming July which you will all know is a very emotional time every year and will continue to be so until justice is finally served.

I have a couple of travel plans which you can keep up to date with on my Diary link on the home page.

I haven’t as much planned this year with the current circumstances in regards to my husband’s health, if you aren’t aware of this as yet then please see my Blog on Cancer.

The news here today is that I have four, yes you heard it correctly FOUR Books to write and publish and as long as all goes to plan they should all be finished and published between Winter 2021 and Spring 2022.

Belinda

Unfinished Business by Paul Ferris – Stuart Wheatman, Steve Wraith and paying tribute to Reg McKay (May He Rest In Peace)

I’ve always had a fascination and love of gangster movies and books from as far back as I can remember, as a youngster I used to watch them and think “I wish my dad was the Godfather or I wish I had an older brother who was a gangster”  I loved the idea of being protected by someone with such a title.

I’ve just finished reading ‘Unfinished Business’ by Paul Ferris It’s only taken me like three day’s not because I’m a slow reader, far from it, but picture the scenario.

I received the book, excitement kicks in so, I start reading it right away, it’s got me right from the start and I can’t put it down, Oops, I better get my finger out my daughter is due home from work soon and I haven’t even started preparing dinner.

So that’s how it’s been for the last three day’s picking it up again reading as much as I can  in between cleaning the house, cooking, tending to my dog’s driving to the airport to pick up my cousin who has flown over from California for our youngest daughters 18th birthday party this coming weekend, now I can’t read anymore or my cousin will think I’m ignoring her.

Itching to start reading again I go to bed I’m up into the wee small hours, then I need to stop again and get some sleep, wake up back to the airport to pick my hubby up who has flew home from his work in Kosovo (He works for the United Nations)

I’ve only got a little bit to go but I can’t just ignore that I’ve not seen my hubby in a month, Saturday morning now he has gone to golf, Wahayy, and I’ve just finished reading the book.

For the many stories and some that have been pretty horrific, written by the press about Paul Ferris much to the annoyance I’m sure of Paul and his family I recommended you read ‘Unfinished Business’ 

There is a saying that we have all heard that goes ‘Never judge a book by its cover’ and bearing in mind some newspapers are guilty of needing to fill spaces and have exaggerated many a story in order to fill that space, not to mention the heading which very often is solely to catch the eye of the reader, resulting in a sale.

In Unfinished Business you are hearing it straight from the man himself and while I get that there will be many who will come back with, Yeh Right! If you believe that? Well, hang on, you just bought the book right?

I understand much of what Paul describes about his life growing up in Glasgow it was and still is in many parts rough and for some, survival is very much a part of every day life.

I remember some of what went on back then and still remember stories about my own family being involved in situations, I think though the worst from one side of my family being, my great-grandmother, who was a money-lender and who had people knee-capped if the money was late or not paid back. (Definitely not something I was proud to hear) I guess because she was a woman as I certainly didn’t think that woman were involved in such behaviour.

I only found out in the last eighteen years who my biological father was then finding out that I am related to the late Johnny Stark and since looking more into the world of crime particularly Glasgow Crime I have come to understand just why some individuals behaved the way they did, like I said and Paul touched on it too, it was a case of survival and looking out for number one.

While I don’t condone some of the tactics used in gangland Glasgow or gangland anywhere, I get it!

Getting back to Unfinished Business I can tell that Paul is like most of us going about his daily life respectfully and while like many of us, has paid the pied piper for his sins, I think people should take the plank out of their own eye before pointing at the sawdust in his.

While Paul sets the record straight and puts to bed some of those rumours, Yes, Rumours because not all that you read about or heard about was factual, why would he lie? His life of crime was way back in the day.

There is humour within his story and let’s face it, if you didn’t laugh you’d be pretty much on a downward spiral especially being locked up in the likes of Barlinnie Prison trust me I know but I don’t have to go into details, this is not my story, perhaps one day I will tell those stories.

I have to hand it to Paul he is a very witty man you can tell by the style in which he tells his story, indeed it was a very enjoyable read and I’m looking forward to future publications.

I also would like to mention that I like Stuart Wheatman’s style, the way in which he puts the context in all the right places.

NOTE; I have changed the name Steve Wraith to Stuart Wheatman (see above) My apologies to Stuart for the mix up which I hadn’t noticed until it was pointed out.

However, credit also to Steve Wraith For his part in the story also, his meeting with Paul and as a contributor is what makes for good reading.

As an Author you want someone you can trust not only to ghostwriter your book and or edit it, you want someone who will be honest in telling you what you should and should not include and or were in the book is the right place for a particular part of the story, but most of all who will not judge, after all they are there to do a job.

(My rule is, if I can’t handle my editor’s advice, then I’m probably going to have to re-think whether being a writer is for me, thankfully I have no problem taking advice)

If you haven’t read Unfinished Business then do so, It will definitely change your prospective of Paul Ferris and help you to understand the corruption that goes on behind the scene’s I’ll say no more on that subject, you will know what I mean after you have read the book.

Published by http://www.mojorisinpublishing.com

Belinda

Book Review; Maria, The Irish colleen

I’ve been putting this review off for such a long time sadly partly because I have just not had the time to finish the book but also because so many times I was a little put off.

The author herself describes what her life was like growing up in Ireland with many trial and tribulations, and yes, she did indeed endure some pretty horrific situations through-out her life.

I very much enjoyed her story, I felt happy and I laughed but there were sad areas within the book too.

I would happily recommend this book its a great read in so far as the story itself.

However I’m not sure if she had the book copy edited? I did encounter some bad spelling as well as the fact that it was kind of all over the place in respect of the layout/format.

If I could give some constructive advise, it would be to have the book copy edited and formatted by a professional and republished.

I would like to say I wish her well in the future.

Belinda

The Diary of Two Nobodies Gogglebox Giles & Mary

WARNING May contain nuts!

Well, what can I say? I asked my hubby to buy me The Diary of Two Nobodies by Giles Wood & Mary Killen from Channel 4s Gogglebox being that other than Steph & Dom they are my other favourite couple.

What a delight, superbly well written and extremely funny, I just love them both definitely my type if I were to pick my friends.

What I found most interesting is that I see a little of Giles and Mary in both my hubby and I, Giles has the most amazing sense of humour for sure and has that naughty school boy character that my hubby has, so I feel Mary’s pain when it comes to being wound up.

I could certainly identify with most of what was written, the only difference being that Mary is of a more professional level when it comes to writing etc, whereas I’m still an armature.

I love to travel like Mary although I have more of Giles in me when it comes to socializing, my hubby is the one who likes company and good old-fashioned banter with his friends, were as I prefer my own company.

So guys if you haven’t already got the book then I highly recommend you grab yourself a copy, for those who haven’t seen Gogglebox or Googlebox as I used to call it, then I suggest you watch a few episodes before you buy the book.

Because I watch the show I was able to put myself right in the home of Giles and Mary which made the book all the more interesting for me, hence why I was able to Laugh Out Loud at some of the antics of Giles, I felt I was in the same room all the way through the book, now that’s a good read.

Available on Amazon in Print, Kindle & Audible

Happy reading guys and please tell me what you thought after.

Belinda

My Happy Morning Photo: Learning From The best

I called my photo the ‘Happy Morning Photo’ First because my books arrived today and second because as you may tell I am in bed writing and catching up. Yes, in bed which has now become my office on a Saturday and sometimes a Sunday morning. (Unless of course I am about to receive visitors).

Joan Didion an absolute inspiration why had I not discovered this lady before?

I stumbled upon Joan’s story on Netflix  Joan Didion: The Center Will Not Hold. And have since watched it now four times, it was her voice that first drew my attention to her story.

The first thing I thought was ‘I want to be her’  Her soft relaxed tone combined with the vast knowledge she exuberates takes us to a place that we of my generation can only wish that we had been there.

I’m over in San Diego again soon and would love the oppertunity to meet Joan.

She is a lady of grace, respect and morals something many are lacking in today’s society, but what has she done to deserve such wonderful reviews?

Born December 5, 1934 Joan is an American journalist and writer of novels, plays, screenplays, and autobiographical works. Joan is best known for her literary journalism and memoirs.

In her novels and essays, Joan explores the disintegration of American morals and cultural chaos; the overriding theme of her work is individual and social fragmentation.

At the peak of her career, her writing was recognized for its significance in defining and observing American subcultures for mainstream audiences.

In 1968, The New York Times referred to her early work as containing “grace sophistication, nuance and irony.

Read More Here.

I couldn’t agree more with the New york Times, she has definitely become my inspiration and I will learn a lot from Joan through her books, three of which I received through the mail today and there are more to come.

If you haven’t watched it then do so it doesn’t matter whether you’re a writer or not and those who aren’t her story may just inspire you and who knows we may see an influx of new writers in the future.

Let me know your thoughts on Joan’s story, it would be interesting to see if others felt the way I did after watching it.

Belinda

Me . You | A Diary

I cannot wait to get my hands on Dawn French new book. I’ve always been an admirer of Dawn, an incredibly funny lady and not afraid to say it as it is.

Yet underneath that witty sense of humour and comedy nature lies a woman with an incredible heart of gold, sometimes misunderstood as I’ve learned from others in conversation about comedy greats.

Dawn is most definitely up there when it comes to favourite comedians, but it’s not just her comedy I admire her for, its her lovable approach to children on her show ‘Little Big Shots’

I really get a kick out of that show because although she fires off the odd one liner when chatting to the kids, only we as adults get it, she is simply hilarious.

So the book arrives in time for my next destination (See my Diary) and I’m pretty sure I’ll have some odd looks while traveling when I burst into laughter.

I’ll let you all know my thoughts when I do my review in due course, but let me tell you I know it’s going to be good.

Belinda x