Seagulls legends give personal boost to new Brighton & Hove Albion book on eve of launch

PAST and present legends of Brighton and Hove Albion have given personal endorsements to a new best-selling book Death in Grimsby – 50 Years Following Brighton & Hove on the eve of its launch this week.

The book, which chronicles Albion fan Nic Outterside’s 50 years supporting his beloved home town team is set for a double-headed launch in Brighton and Worthing on Thursday and Friday (15^th & 16^th August).

The book has already made hundreds of sales in Australia, Scotland, Spain, Germany, Wales, Italy, Canada and the USA, as well here back at home in England.

Death in Grimsby currently stands at Number 2 in the Amazon Football Reference sales chart and at Number 3 in their Most Wished For chart.

Early purchasers of the book have included several former Albion players and the personal support of 1983 FA Cup Finalist and England legend Gary Stevens.

Death in Grimsby is dedicated to Nic’s own Albion hero Kit Napier – the club’s leading post war goal scorer, until recently overtaken by Glenn Murray – who sadly died just a few weeks before the book was published. Kit’s two sons Robin and Chris, who live in South Africa, have sent their own good wishes for the publication’s success.

Now Nic has received a personal email from the Albion’s former owner and chairman Dick Knight who wrote: “I’ve started it and a very interesting read it is… I hope it all goes well and the book is a big success!”

He then received a letter from current owner and chairman Tony Bloom who wrote: “It’s great to have someone with such a long history supporting our club, and it’s wonderful that you’ve been able to document it in this book.”

Nic said: “I am overcome with the support I have received for this book. I never expected this reaction when I set out to write Death in Grimsby last October.

“To get support from former players, who as a small child I watched as Albion heroes, is breath-taking and to then get personal praise from the two men who saved our club from extinction and moulded it into the Premier League giant of today is mind-blowing. I am so grateful.

“But for me the thing which leaves a huge lump in my throat is to have made good friends with the two sons of Kit Napier – my first and forever sporting hero.”

The book’s formal launch, with personal signings and special guests, will take place at two venues in Brighton and Worthing on the eve of the Albion’s first home game of the 2019/20 season against West Ham next weekend.

The first launch event is from 7pm on Thursday 15 August at the Caxton Arms, North Gardens, Brighton. The second event is from 6pm on Friday 16 August at the Castle Ale House, Newland Road, Worthing. Everyone is welcome!

• Death in Grimsby is a collection of 21 short stories which charts the first 50 years that Nic supported his beloved Albion, starting with his first game at the Goldstone in 1967 and finishing with a match against Wolves at Molineux in April 2017, when his club all but mathematically secured promotion to the promised land of the Premier League.
• Death in Grimsby – 50 Years Following Brighton & Hove Albion is available as a large format paperback priced at £10.49 with FREE UK delivery from Amazon:
  www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1095979752/
• A Kindle e-book edition of the book is also available for £3.00 at: www.amazon.co.uk/Death-Grimsby-Following-Brighton-Albion-ebook/dp/B07T4VMJRQ/

 

 

The launch of a new Brighton & Hove Albion book to feature a feast of football food

A NEW best-selling Brighton & Hove Albion paperback is set for a formal launch at two Sussex venues later this month and it also promises to be a gourmet feast of football food.

Death in Grimsby – 50 Years Following Brighton & Hove Albion was written, edited and published by Albion fan Nic Outterside, and given a soft launch in May among friends and fellow fans.

It quickly became a best seller and stands at Number 2 in the Amazon Football Reference sales chart and at Number 3 in their Most Wished For chart.

The book’s formal launch, with personal signings and special guests, will take place at two venues in Brighton and Worthing on the eve of the Albion’s first home game of the 2019/20 season against West Ham on 17 August.

The first launch event is from 7pm on Thursday 15 August at the Caxton Arms, North Gardens, Brighton. The second event is from 6pm on Friday 16 August at the Castle Ale House, Newland Road, Worthing.

And both evenings will feature free samples of football food from around the UK.

One of the most popular features of Death in Grimsby are the sections entitled Who Ate All the Pies, which look at the diverse array of food and drink available at different football grounds.

So Nic has arranged samples of unique foods from Barnsley, Berwick Rangers, Birmingham City, Huddersfield Town, Leeds United, Preston North End, Wolves and Wrexham.

These include Scotch pies, Welsh cakes, Yorkshire meat and potato pies, Lancashire butter pies, Birmingham flapjack, Barnsley pork pies, genuine Wolverhampton pork crackling and take-home sachets of Bovril!

“I wanted the launch to be a little different from the usual and the way to book buyers and a football fans’ hearts is clearly through their stomachs,” joked Nic.

“So I hope that those who attend the launch events will also sample a bit of genuine football fayre.”

Death in Grimsby charts Nic’s passion for his far from ordinary home town club for more than half a century. Among 50,000 words and 115 images it is a collection of personal stories which will resonate with every football supporter, no matter which club they may follow.

Death in Grimsby – 50 Years Following Brighton & Hove Albion is available as a large format paperback priced at £10.49 with FREE UK delivery from Amazon:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1095979752/

A Kindle e-book edition of the book is also available for £3.00 at:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Death-Grimsby-Following-Brighton-Albion-ebook/dp/B07T4VMJRQ/

 

New best-selling football book scores again with a host of five star reviews

A NEW best-selling football paperback has scored again with a raft of FIVE STAR reviews.

Death in Grimsby – 50 Years Following Brighton & Hove Albion was written, edited and published by soccer fan Nic Outterside, and given a soft launch in May among friends and fellow Albion fans.

Already it is a best seller around the world, including sales in Australia, Scotland, Spain, Germany, Italy, San Francisco and California and stands at Number 2 in the Amazon Football Reference sales chart.

Now it has been further boosted with more than 20 top rated reviews from early purchasers of the book.

These are a small sample:

A wonderful read that brilliantly encapsulates the raw emotional highs and lows experienced by the majority of football fans passionately dedicated to their chosen team.

(Chris Dunster, Brighton)

You don’t have to be a fan of Brighton & Hove Albion to enjoy this book. The tales of Nic’s journey will resonate with fans of every club. Brilliant stuff.

(Ian Hine, Southampton) 

An enjoyable insight into the trials and tribulations we go through to follow the club we love, that all football fans will be able to relate to.

(Stephen Doswell, Bexhill)

Death in Grimsby is a great read for football supporters. Fans of any club will relate to the passion of the author for his beloved team. But it is also part social history and part memoir of the author’s life, told through his experiences of travelling and following Brighton. A quick and entertaining read, highly recommended.

(Marcello Mega, Edinburgh)

You can’t help but fall in love with this book – a true work of love written by someone who bleeds blue and white, funny, honest and full of nostalgia – takes pride of place among the rest.

(Ashley Bradley, Brighton)

Absolutely brilliant – a must-read for all Albion fans, in fact, for all football fans.

(Steve Cowdry, Swindon)

As a lifelong Brighton & Hove Albion supporter I thoroughly enjoyed this book – the memories came flooding back. My other half is a non-Brighton fan and he thought it was brilliant also and very well written. I would recommend it to anyone who has any interest in football.

(Maria Suggitt, York)

What a fantastic read! Brought back so many memories and tears supporting Brighton & Hove Albion.

(Jimmy Anderson, London)

An excellent read which highlights the pain of having to watch your team from afar due to circumstances out of your control. I thought I was alone but this book confirms I was not. A brilliant book for any fan of any club exiled from their homelands.

(Tim Colville, Birmingham)

A great book, fantastic read, evokes so many memories.

(Christopher O’Regan, Sussex)

An awesome read. In some ways reminiscent of Nick Varley’s Park Life, but much more immediate and in places very humorous. The experiences and emotions relayed in this book will resonate with every football supporter, no matter who you support.

(Jon West, California)

You don’t have to be a follower of Brighton & Hove Albion to read this book. It is full of interesting stories and information about different clubs that maybe not everyone has been to. Really enjoyable read.

(Jackie Hersee, Hastings)

Death in Grimsby charts Nic’s passion for his far from ordinary home town club for more than half a century. It is a collection of personal stories which will resonate with every football supporter, no matter which club they may follow.

Each chapter is a separate story related to 21 different matches and events, including Nic’s first night game against Portsmouth in 1969, a record 8-2 defeat against Bristol Rovers in 1973, winning promotion to the old League Division One in 1979, an FA Cup Final in 1983, Football League survival against Hereford United in 1997 and much more.

A clearly delighted Nic said: “I hoped my story might resonate with supporters of most football clubs, but to reach number 2 in the sales charts and to have so many top reviews is beyond my wildest dreams.”

The formal launch of Death in Grimsby with personal signings and special guests will take place at two venues in Brighton and Worthing on the eve of the Albion’s first home game of the 2019/20 season against West Ham on 17 August.

The first launch event is from 7pm on Thursday 15 August at the Caxton Arms, North Gardens, Brighton. The second event is from 6pm on Friday 16 August at the Castle Ale House, Newland Road, Worthing. Everyone is welcome.

Death in Grimsby – 50 Years Following Brighton & Hove Albion is available as a large format paperback priced at £10.49 with FREE UK delivery from Amazon:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1095979752/.

A Kindle e-book edition of the book is also available for £3.99 at:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Death-Grimsby-Following-Brighton-Albion-ebook/dp/B07T4VMJRQ/

 

New best-selling Brighton & Hove Albion book will be launched at two events in August

A NEW autobiographical best-selling football paperback is set for a formal launch at two Sussex venues this summer in front of surprise special guests.

Death in Grimsby – 50 Years Following Brighton & Hove Albion was written, edited and published by soccer fanatic Nic Outterside, and given a soft launch in May among friends and fellow Albion fans.

Already it is a best seller around the world, including sales in Australia, Scotland, Spain, Germany, Italy, San Francisco and California.

Death in Grimsby currently stands at Number 2 in the Amazon Football Reference sales chart, at Number 3 in Amazon’s Football Hot New Releases and also at Number 3 in their Most Wished For chart.

The book’s formal launch, with personal signings and special guests, including former Brighton & Hove Albion legends, will take place at two venues in Brighton and Worthing on the eve of the Albion’s first home game of the 2019/20 season against West Ham on 17 August.

The first launch event is from 7pm on Thursday 15 August at the Caxton Arms, North Gardens, Brighton. The second event is from 6pm on Friday 16 August at the Castle Ale House, Newland Road, Worthing. Everyone is welcome!

Death in Grimsby charts Nic’s passion for his far from ordinary home town club for more than half a century. Among 50,000 words and 115 images it is a collection of personal stories which will resonate with every football supporter, no matter which club they may follow.

“I have been following Brighton & Hove Albion since I was a very small kid, and like a fan of any club, whether that be Arsenal, Accrington Stanley, Aston Villa or Alloa Athletic, once you are hooked you are well and truly hooked,” explains Nic.

“It is a passion which has never dimmed with greying hair, crows’ feet etched lines and a free bus pass just three years away.

“I am now pinching myself that not only has my book sold so unexpectedly well, but I will now meet some of the players that feature in it and who I cheered for from the North Stand all those years ago,” he adds.

Death in Grimsby is a collection of short stories which charts the first 50 years that Nic supported his beloved Albion, starting with that first game at the Goldstone in 1967 and finishing with a match against Wolves at Molineux in April 2017, when his club all but mathematically secured promotion to the promised land of the Premier League.

Each chapter is a separate story related to 21 different matches and events, including Nic’s first night game against Portsmouth in 1969, a record 8-2 defeat against Bristol Rovers in 1973, winning promotion to the old League Division One in 1979, an FA Cup Final in 1983, Football League survival against Hereford United in 1997 and much more.

These are knitted together with many personal recollections such as meeting Ernie Wise in Leeds, trying to explain the Foot and Mouth Disease funeral pyres to his young daughters before a match against Carlisle United in 2001, interviewing the England legend Paul Gascoigne, bribing match stewards with slices of home-made flapjack at Birmingham City and being hospitalised with hypothermia after a game at Grimsby.

Death in Grimsby – 50 Years Following Brighton & Hove Albion is available as a large format paperback priced at £10.49 with FREE UK delivery from Amazon:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1095979752/

A Kindle e-book edition of the book is also available for £3.99 at:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Death-Grimsby-Following-Brighton-Albion-ebook/dp/B07T4VMJRQ/

 

 

New football book at #2 in best sellers chart eight weeks before its official launch

A NEW autobiographical paperback has entered the Amazon Football Top Ten a full two months before its official launch.

Death in Grimsby – 50 Years Following Brighton & Hove Albion was written, edited and published by soccer fanatic Nic Outterside, and given a soft launch in May among friends and fellow Albion fans.

Already it is a best seller around the world, including sales in Australia, Scotland, Spain, Germany, Italy, San Francisco and California.

The full launch with book signings is planned for the week beginning 12^th August, yet Death in Grimsby already stands at Number 2 in the Amazon Football Reference sales chart, with former Brighton & Hove Albion players among the early purchasers.

Death in Grimsby charts Nic’s passion for his far from ordinary home town club for more than half a century. Among 50,000 words and 115 images it is a collection of personal stories which will resonate with every football supporter, no matter which club they may follow.

“I have been following my beloved Brighton & Hove Albion since I was a very small kid, and like a fan of any club, whether that be Arsenal, Accrington Stanley, Aston Villa or Alloa Athletic, once you are hooked you are well and truly hooked,” explains Nic.

“It is a passion which has never dimmed with greying hair, crows’ feet etched lines and a free bus pass just three years away.

“I hoped my story might resonate with supporters of most clubs, but to reach number 5 in the sales charts, with barely any advertising or promotion is beyond my wildest dreams,” he adds.

Death in Grimsby is a collection of short stories which charts the first 50 years that Nic supported his beloved Albion, starting with that first game at the Goldstone in 1967 and finishing with a match against Wolves at Molineux in April 2017, when his club all but mathematically secured promotion to the promised land of the Premier League.

Each chapter is a separate story related to 21 different matches and events, including Nic’s first night game against Portsmouth in 1969, a record 8-2 defeat against Bristol Rovers in 1973, winning promotion to the old League Division One in 1979, an FA Cup Final in 1983, Football League survival against Hereford United in 1997 and much more.

These are knitted together with many personal recollections such as meeting Ernie Wise in Leeds, trying to explain the Foot and Mouth Disease funeral pyres to his young daughters before a match against Carlisle United in 2001, interviewing the England legend Paul Gascoigne, bribing match stewards with slices of home-made flapjack at Birmingham City and being hospitalised with hypothermia after a game at Grimsby.

Death in Grimsby – 50 Years Following Brighton & Hove Albion is available as a large format paperback priced at £10.49 with FREE UK delivery from Amazon:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1095979752/
The full launch with book signings will take place at venues (TBC) in Brighton and Hove during week beginning 12th August, prior to Brighton & Hove Albion’s first home game of the 2019/2020 season against West Ham on 17^th August.

A Kindle e-book edition of the book is also available for £3.99 at:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Death-Grimsby-Following-Brighton-Albion-ebook/dp/B07T4VMJRQ/

 

Notes:

1. Nic Outterside is an award-winning editor, journalist and author. Among more than a dozen awards to his name are North of England Daily Journalist of the Year, Scottish Weekly Journalist of the Year, Scottish Daily Journalist of the Year and a special national award for investigative journalism. He was twice editor of Weekly Newspaper of the Year. In 2016 he was awarded an honorary doctorate in written journalism.
2. Death in Grimsby is his seventh published book.
3. For interviews or further information Nic can be contacted by email on seagullnic@gmail.com

 

New football book scores in Amazon best sellers chart eight weeks before launch

A NEW autobiographical paperback has entered the Amazon Football Reference Top Ten chart a full two months before its official launch.

Death in Grimsby – 50 Years Following Brighton and Hove Albion was written, edited and published by soccer fanatic Nic Outterside, and given a soft launch in May among friends and fellow Albion fans.

The full launch with book signings is planned for the week beginning 12^th August, yet Death in Grimsby already stands at number 5 in the Amazon Football Reference sales chart, with former Brighton & Hove Albion players among the early purchasers.

Death in Grimsby charts Nic’s passion for his far from ordinary home town club for more than half a century. Among 50,000 words and 115 images it is a collection of personal stories which will resonate with every football supporter, no matter which club they may follow.

“I have been following my beloved Brighton & Hove Albion since I was a very small kid, and like a fan of any club, whether that be Arsenal, Accrington Stanley, Aston Villa or Alloa Athletic, once you are hooked you are well and truly hooked,” explains Nic.

“It is a passion which has never dimmed with greying hair, crows’ feet etched lines and a free bus pass just three years away.

“I hoped my story might resonate with supporters of most clubs, but to reach number 5 in the sales charts, with barely any advertising or promotion is beyond my wildest dreams,” he adds.

Death in Grimsby is a collection of short stories which charts the first 50 years that Nic supported his beloved Albion, starting with that first game at the Goldstone in 1967 and finishing with a match against Wolves at Molineux in April 2017, when his club all but mathematically secured promotion to the promised land of the Premier League.

Each chapter is a separate story related to 21 different matches and events, including Nic’s first night game against Portsmouth in 1969, a record 8-2 defeat against Bristol Rovers in 1973, winning promotion to the old League Division One in 1979, an FA Cup Final in 1983, Football League survival against Hereford United in 1997 and much more.

These are knitted together with many personal recollections such as meeting Ernie Wise in Leeds, trying to explain the Foot and Mouth Disease funeral pyres to his young daughters before a match against Carlisle United in 2001, interviewing the England legend Paul Gascoigne, bribing match stewards with slices of home-made flapjack at Birmingham City and being hospitalised with hypothermia after a game at Grimsby.

Death in Grimsby – 50 Years Following Brighton & Hove Albion is available as a large format paperback priced at £10.49 with FREE UK delivery from Amazon:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1095979752/
Other ways to order and purchase the book will be announced in early July.

The full launch with book signings will take place at venues (TBC) in Brighton and Hove during week beginning 12th August, prior to Brighton & Hove Albion’s first home game of the 2019/2020 season against West Ham on 17^th August.

A Kindle e-book edition of the book will also be available before the end of June.

Notes:

1. Nic Outterside is an award-winning editor, journalist and author. Among more than a dozen awards to his name are North of England Daily Journalist of the Year, Scottish Weekly Journalist of the Year, Scottish Daily Journalist of the Year and a special national award for investigative journalism. He was twice editor of Weekly Newspaper of the Year. In 2016 he was awarded an honorary doctorate in written journalism.
2. Death in Grimsby is his seventh published book.
3. For interviews or further information Nic can be contacted by email on seagullnic@gmail.com

Death in Grimsby – 50 Years Following Brighton & Hove Albion now published in paperback

Burning cows at Carlisle, Meeting Ernie Wise in Leeds, Joking with Gazza in Glasgow, Bribing Match Stewards in Birmingham, an Ovation at Doncaster and Death in Grimsby

BRIGHTON & Hove Albion FC were founded in 1901 and for all but six seasons of their 118 year existence have played their football in the lower divisions of the Football League.

A new book Death in Grimsby charts one man’s passion for his far from ordinary home town club over 50 of those years.

Among 50,000 words and 115 images Death in Grimsby is a collection of personal stories which will resonate with every football supporter, no matter which club they may follow.

“I have been following my beloved Brighton & Hove Albion since I was a very small kid, and like a fan of any club, whether that be Arsenal, Accrington Stanley, Aston Villa or Alloa Athletic, once you are hooked you are well and truly hooked,” explains author Nic Outterside.

“My passion was conceived on a sunny Saturday afternoon in September 1967 when I was just 11 years old, as I stood wide-eyed at the front of the North Stand of the Goldstone Ground watching these huge men battle for a crisp, white football on the green turf before me.

“It is a passion which has never dimmed with greying hair, crows’ feet etched lines and a free bus pass just three years away.”

Death in Grimsby is a collection of short stories which charts the first 50 years that Nic supported his beloved Albion, starting with that first game at the Goldstone in 1967 and finishing with a match against Wolves at Molineux in April 2017, when his club all but mathematically secured promotion to the promised land of the Premier League.

Each chapter is a separate story related to 21 different matches and events, including Nic’s first night game against Portsmouth in 1969, a record 8-2 defeat against Bristol Rovers in 1973, winning promotion to the old League Division One in 1979, an FA Cup Final in 1983, Football League survival against Hereford United in 1997 and much more.

These are knitted together with many personal recollections such as meeting Ernie Wise in Leeds, trying to explain the Foot and Mouth Disease funeral pyres to his young daughters before a match against Carlisle United in 2001, interviewing the England legend Paul Gascoigne, bribing match stewards with slices of home-made flapjack at Birmingham City and being hospitalised with hypothermia after a game at Grimsby.

“I hope the reader finds something to inspire them, laugh at, wince with or cry… and recapture their own memories of a game which as the great Bill Shankly said: ‘Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I assure you, it’s much more serious than that,’” adds Nic.

Death in Grimsby – 50 Years Following Brighton & Hove Albion is available in paperback from:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1095979752/
£10.49 Large Format paperback with FREE UK delivery

Other ways to order and purchase the book will be announced at the end of May.

The full launch with book signings will take place at venues (TBC) in Brighton and Hove during week beginning 5 August prior to the start of the 2019/20 Premier League season.

A Kindle e-book edition of the book will also be available later in the summer of 2019.

Gripping new book charts 50 years in the life of a football fanatic…

Burning cows at Carlisle, Meeting Ernie Wise in Leeds, Joking with Gazza in Glasgow, Bribing Match Stewards in Birmingham, a Standing Ovation at Doncaster and Death in Grimsby

BRIGHTON & Hove Albion FC were founded in 1901 and for all but six seasons of their 118 year existence have played their football in the lower divisions of the Football League.

A stunning new book Death in Grimsby charts one man’s passion for his far from ordinary home town club over 50 of those years.

Among 50,000 words and 115 images Death in Grimsby is a collection of personal stories which will resonate with every football supporter, no matter which club they may follow.

“I have been following my beloved Brighton & Hove Albion since I was a very small kid, and like a fan of any club, whether that be Arsenal, Accrington Stanley, Aston Villa or Alloa Athletic, once you are hooked you are well and truly hooked,” explains author Nic Outterside.

“My passion was conceived on a sunny Saturday afternoon in September 1967 when I was just 11 years old, as I stood wide-eyed at the front of the North Stand of the Goldstone Ground watching these huge men battle for a crisp, white football on the green turf before me.

“It is a passion which has never dimmed with greying hair, crows’ feet etched lines and a free bus pass just three years away.”

Death in Grimsby is a collection of short stories which charts the first 50 years that Nic supported his beloved Albion, starting with that first game at the Goldstone in 1967 and finishing with a match against Wolves at Molineux in April 2017, when his club all but mathematically secured promotion to the promised land of the Premier League.

Each chapter is a separate story related to 21 different matches and events, including Nic’s first night game against Portsmouth in 1969, a record 8-2 defeat against Bristol Rovers in 1973, winning promotion to the old League Division One in 1979, an FA Cup Final in 1983, Football League survival against Hereford United in 1997 and much more.

These are knitted together with many personal recollections such as meeting Ernie Wise in Leeds, trying to explain the Foot and Mouth Disease funeral pyres to his young daughters before a match against Carlisle United in 2001, interviewing the England legend Paul Gascoigne, bribing match stewards with slices of home-made flapjack at Birmingham City and being hospitalised with hypothermia after a game at Grimsby.

“I hope the reader finds something to inspire them, laugh at, wince with or cry… and recapture their own memories of a game which as the great Bill Shankly said: “Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I assure you, it’s much more serious than that,” adds Nic.

Death in Grimsby – 50 Years Following Brighton & Hove Albion is available in paperback from:

WATCH THIS SPACE FOR DETAILS OF PRICE AND ORDERING/PRE-ORDERING PLUS BOOK SIGNING LAUNCH DATE

A Kindle e-book edition of the book will also be available later in the summer of 2019.

Notes:

1. Nic Outterside is an award-winning editor, journalist and author. Among more than a dozen awards to his name are North of England Daily Journalist of the Year, Scottish Weekly Journalist of the Year, Scottish Daily Journalist of the Year and a special national award for investigative journalism. He was twice editor of Weekly Newspaper of the Year. In 2016 he was awarded an honorary doctorate in written journalism.
2. Death in Grimsby is his seventh published book.
3. For interviews or further information Nic can be contacted by email on seagullnic@gmail.com

The unplanned journey

I began this writing/blogging lark about two years ago. Okay I know I earned my living writing for 28 years prior to that, but this was different… this was for me!

Initially the writing was a form of therapy following my breakdown in June 2013. The script was about significant events in my life and putting it down in the written word was certainly cathartic. But then it started to grow like Topsy, and within no time at all I was writing my first children/teen novel (16 chapters done and about 10 to go), rebooting loads of my newspaper investigations, top of the head political opinion pieces and spontaneously over 100 songs and poems – the first 60 of which were published in my book The Hill – Songs and Poems of Darkness and Light.

But I couldn’t have achieved any of this without the constant encouragement of my family and four brilliant friends, who often without warning would tell me how much they enjoyed what I was writing and encouraged me to write more.

Over the past two years their words and encouragement touched somewhere so deep, even when I wanted to throw it all away. These four friends don’t know each other, but they all know me and strangely each has on different occasions urged me to write my autobiography. To be frank, it is something which I have wanted to do for years, but the prospect has terrified me. But yesterday, holding on to their encouragement, I started the task and the first 2,000 words are now down!

It starts with a young boy being sexually abused in a dark woodland and will visit hell in its many forms over the ensuing 45 years. But it will also be uplifting and I will include amazing people and incredible occasions. I have no idea how long it will be or how long it will take me. I obviously need to get the balance right and it will probably need massive editing. It is my work in progress and the working title is: Scorpions, Soul Mates and Substitutes.

Watch this space!