3 weeks...

...it's coming up to 3 weeks now since my first self published book, 'Love or Suicide and the Life in-between' has been on sale and I am happy to say any feedback I have had has been very positive.  I am gradually promoting it on Twitter, through my Blog and by word of mouth but am planning to step up the promotion throughout August.  My thoughts are to have it sell consistently instead of it spiking and then being lost and forgotten - a steady stream of promotion should ensure this.

It is still a bit odd that my true deep and darkest thoughts and feelings are out there for the world to see- basically my heart and soul is on show.  In truth, the feedback I have had has been about how open and honest it is and how that makes me feel with that out there.  Does it make me feel uncomfortablee?  Does it make me feel vulnerable?  Of course it does.  But it also makes me feel strong and happy that it is out there - like a weight has been lifted.

So, have a look below at some samples of 'Love or Suicide and the Life in-between', fire up Amazon, buy a copy then spread the word.  Remember, all my profit will be going to The Samaritans.

Dear Dad

The dripping alcoholic

The warm liar

The ageing sinner

The abusive man

The dead weight

The piercing fear

The blueprint

Like father, like son

Is this what I am to become?

The haunting

The shouting

The stealing

The anger

The pain

The smell

The blueprint

Like father, like son

Is this what I am to become?

Hate

Spit

Fight

Lost

Self

Destiny

The blueprint

Like father, like son

Is this what I am to become?

Lonely World

            I        talk      to      myyyyyyy                                                owN     shadow

Laugh                  ( ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha )      AT       my    OWn             jokes

                                           feel for my own feelinGs

                                                                              

                                                                         TouCH                           my own   SKIN

NO             one                  comFOrTs                             me wHen      I NEed

                                                                                                             comforting

no                one                               kiSSes                 ME           wHen    I need to BEE

                                                                                                                      Kissed

NO               one                      ListeNs               when       IIIIIII       neeeeed  to beeeee

                                                                                                                          hEARd

I    have    no------------------------one                       Who     drEAm’’’’’’s   about   ME

                                    Or                 wwwwwwiLLLLLL    nOTice

                                                                                                          WHHen I am GOne

my heart beats

YeTT                            TherE                   is nO                     one     TO TUNE          iT     

                  My EYes      seeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

                                                           alllllllllllll………………They SEEEee   is     mE

                                               I    liVEE               in THIS                 world

I   have   no        one            who lives       with   me………LoNEly   wORLD…

Love or Suicide and the Life in-between...

...is finally published!!  It has been a while now since I have been on here but I promise to be on here more and more now my book is finally been self-published.  Grosvenor House Publishing Limited have done an amazing job with what must have been a difficult task - the layout varied throughout and I was very specific with what I wanted (borderline anal), but it has turned out brilliantly.  I am especially happy with the glossy front and back covers of my own designs.

So, what is it about - well:

It's a deeply personal and honest collection of thoughts, poetry and short stories written as a direct response to family fracture and loss attempting to make sense of both subject matters as experienced by myself and fuelled by alcohol and pain.

Basically, I was going through a very hard time in my life and through dangerous levels of drink, I decided to write a book about Love, and about Suicide (subjects which constantly plagued me through this period).  It became this 'thing' with its own life, its own mind and its own beating heart and thankfully, it became the vent for all my deepest, darkest thoughts.  It isn't a manual on how to commit Suicide or even an ideal view on Love and all its inner trappings and wondrous moments - just a collection of feelings and emotions from a certain section of my life.  It is something I am extremely proud of but, strangely, something I don't want to make any money from - so I have decided that any profit I were to make will be donated to The Samaritans.

It isn't an easy read.  It isn't perfect and it definitely hasn't been proof read to within an inch of its life.  Its there, in your face, spur of the moment feelings - a good 90% of it was written there and then and not touched afterwards, not scrutinised or changed and messed about with.  Its raw, honest, ripped from deep within and exposed - exactly what I believe poetry should be!

So please, fire up Amazon, go to the books section and type in 'Love or Suicide and the Life in between' and buy a copy.

Many thanks.