There is a good reason why this blog is appearing on this site and this is about to become clear. That said, I should probably temper my excitement, but dare-I-say-it, I might have stumbled inadvertently upon a breakthrough in my world of book non-sales. A Phoenix might have been clutched from the flames in more…
The success of this blog will depend on its tone. It is a subject I am most often asked about and one which does feature in my writing but only by implication. Pride is something we should be mindful of. It is one of the seven deadly sins and with good reason. Up there with…
To say the least, my timing is poor. In the week I am launching a brand-new podcast – Takes on Life (available now) (just saying) and publishing a new book (same title) (available tomorrow) – my latest potential bestseller – that these two seismic events in my long and tired career should coincide with me…
This is a brave edition of this long running blog. Foolhardy even but needs must. I have set a high bar for this weekly epistle. My readers expect many things including candour. They demand quality, some pathos, wisdom but above all else, they want to smile and occasionally laugh. And to create this alchemy, if…
As part of his A level art, Paddy has chosen photography – a smart move given his mum’s profession and her proclivity for helping others and especially her young. Like most students and probably almost all boys, Paddy likes to leave things to the very last second to complete and submit any tasks required of…
“How the f*** did this movie get made?” This is a question we have all raged at the screen – big and small. It happened to me most recently watching Snakehead, the latest glitzy must-see from Netflix and heavily leaning on its two stars for our patronage. But alas, their best efforts are in complete…
The ‘art’ of putting oneself down. Taking the mickey out of oneself for comic effect. It is comic seam I have mined over the years, to an extent on stage but particularly so in my writing. Eclipsed as a storyline lends itself easily to this technique and genre. Writing a book about a dad being outshone…
In London recently to visit my past. The milestones, places and venues which feature prominently in my unusual story called Eclipsed. I began in North London at the Hen and Chickens theatre – a 60 seater where I did my very first one-man show – quaking in my boots with nerves which I assured myself…
The book sales from World Book Day are being dispatched now – some have gone already and I am waiting on a delivery of Only in America. The people winning the zoom call will receive invites with their books and the details. Thanks to everyone who came to the site and your support more generally….
Like in all things human, there is a hierarchy within comedy. Comedians understand this and we accept it. Not all comedians are the same. Some comedians are funnier than others and the funniest comedians tend to be the most famous although not always. It is often said that well-known comedians can work less hard (get…
