Maximilian Sam's Blog, page 2

Soundtrack Of My Life - Maximilian Sam

We've been having fun with everyone taking part in Soundtrack Of My Life and talking about the songs that define moments in their lives. It's amazing which tunes can bring back vivid memories.

It's now our turn. Especially as we have just published the second edition of It's A Stray Dog's Life. To celebrate we are giving away, not one, but two free short books. You can exclusively download them from the website by clicking on the covers below. We've also included an extra free gift in every download pack.

We've been incredibly busy over the past few months. We're really happy with the website redesign and hope you're finding it easier to navigate. One thing we have stuck with is ensuring people have to register to comment on blog posts. The only reason for this is we have seen others suffer from malicious posts and aren't going to fall into that trap!

We've also been writing several articles for our local newspaper, Voices, about the local area, how much good people volunteering achieves, and much more. Keep your eyes peeled on our social media to see the articles when they appear.

You will also be able to see our return to Daisy Lane Publishing's video podcast. In our first appearance of this series we're talking about book translations. It goes live on 11 June. Keep your eyes peeled, though, as it's not our only appearance of the series.

Finally, we are working hard on the next books. There are going to be a few surprises in store!

So, without further ado. Here's 10 songs that have influenced Maximilian Sam's life. You can download the Spotify playlist by clicking the link below.

Somebody To Love by Queen

I went to boarding school from quite a young age. An offshoot of my parents working abroad. It took me a while to settle in. Dad was back in the UK and came to visit me. He gave me my first ever album (on cassette), Queen Greatest Hits. My favourite track seems to have summed up my single life ever since.

Paradise By The Dashboard Light by Meat Loaf

Bat Out Of Hell was the first album I bought for myself. It spawned a love of songs that tell a story. Every time I'm struggling to work out where my storyline is going, I listen to this and it seems to bring the creativity back to life.

Paradise City by Guns N Roses

Imagine the scene. Milton Keynes Bowl in the mosh pit with my brother watching Axl and Slash put on an amazing show. One of the great nights with my brother. Paradise City resonates with me as I've spent my life searching for paradise. Some places come very close, but I've not quite found it yet.

I'm A Cider Drinker by The Wurzels

A crazy idea referencing a certain West Country band in the Christmas Pantomime I co-wrote in my University days led to The Wurzels performing live one Friday night. It was amazing. Listening to this brings back so many happy memories of my Uni days. It's also the only time I've drunk cider!

Swing Low by UB40 FT The United Colours Of Sound

2003. Rugby World Cup Final. In the local pub. A 30-something man slides on his knees across the floor with his arms aloft just as Johnny Wilkinson put boot to ball. I probably knew it was going over before he did! I can still see, smell, and feel everything about those moments to this day. Aussies beaten in their own backyard. Go BBQ that!

Brain Damage by Pink Floyd

At school we had to write an essay on our favourite poem. As usual, I pushed the boundaries and claimed this was poetry set to music. The title may have influenced my choice too! It was the only time I can remember being passionate about writing an essay. Word counts are just silly (unless you're a journalist. Then they are a way of life). Pushing boundaries saw a few frowns, but I just about got away with it.

I'm Leaving On A Jet Plane by John Denver

I've travelled the world. This is always the song I play as the plane takes off and I close another chapter of my life and start over in yet another country.

The Gambler by Kenny Rogers

Myself and a couple of friends used to play cards every Friday night, drink too much beer, and eat too much pizza. It was cheaper than staying in the pub. I think I learned my poker strategy from this song.

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road by Elton John

Wembley. 31 May 1999. Watford vs Bolton Wanderers. 8 games from the end of the season Watford had 2 players sent off against Bury and turned it around to win. A winning streak ensued and the Golden Boys made the playoffs. A penalty shootout against Birmingham City was nail biting, but we got through it thanks to Alec Chamberlain in goal. Myself and my University friend, Ken, were on our way to Wembley to support our heroes, possibly more in hope than expectation. That overhead kick by Nicky Wright and a late Allan Smart goal saw the celebrations go bonkers. Graham Taylor had dragged our club out of the doldrums yet again. He is sorely missed. I ended the day going back to my flat in Victoria, Central London. I stopped in the pub. Only 2 other patrons. Both Bolton fans. I had the good grace to buy them both a pint. Sadly GT is no longer with us, but what he did for my hometown and its football club will never be forgotten. It was the end of an era. This song epitomises it for me.

Words by Boyzone

I'm an author, so words was always going to make this list. I also have a secret, although I'm hoping all video evidence has been destroyed. I shared a stage with Boyzone on a couple of occasions. Imagine bad Dad dancing and you'll get the picture!

As always, I'm going to cheat and add an extra two. It is my blog after all.

Original Theme Tune by The Muppets

I was very fortunate, many moons ago, to be taken to the set of The Muppets in Elstree. I met the late, great Jim Henson and saw the work it took to create what is still my favourite TV show. He even gave me a Kermit The Frog hand puppet as a present. It's another of those days that's never left me.

Tango Man

There's one more moment in my life I have to share. University for me was about having fun. Rag week at the University Of Hertfordshire was fertile ground for the craziness to come out. Those of a certain age will remember the Tango adverts of the time. The deadpan delivery of the great Ray Wilkins lives with me to this day. It should. After all, I spent a week covered in orange make-up running around campus, Harpenden and St. Albans High Streets, and Watford town centre raising a lot of money for charity. It was a crazy thing to do, but I still get contacted by people to this day saying "You were Tango man at Uni". It's one way to be remembered. Scarily I met my then girlfriend whilst dressed up in orange. She dumped me the week after Rag when I'd taken the make up off! There's no accounting for taste.

If you'd like to share your own soundtrack to your life (especially if you have a new book you'd like people to know about), get in touch and we'll do the best we can to include you.

Don't forget the new edition of It's A Stray Dog's Life is out now. You can download Smokey's Story and Batman's Bar from the website. There's plenty of books, merchandise, and downloads to keep you busy.

Enjoy dancing around the living room everyone.

TTFN

MaxS and The Stray Army

Soundtrack Of My Life - Sue Bavey

Our latest guest is Sue Bavey. We met when I read her book about her grandfather, Lucky Jack. There was something at the back of my mind ringing a bell of recognition. It turned out I'd remember him appearing regularly in the local newspaper in Lincolnshire. We now both live thousands of miles from the UK. It really is a small world at times.

Sue has gone on to publish poetry from her father and a memoir about her mother being a £10 Pom and moving to Australia. The family history is exceptional and well worth reading. I'll let Sue describe the books in more detail.

Lucky Jack, Daydreams and Narcoleptic Nightmares, A Yorkshire Lass: The Early years, and Kookaburras, Cuppas, & Kangaroos are wonderful reads. You certainly come from an interesting family. Why did you finally get round to putting the books together?

Thank you, I’m glad you found their stories interesting and entertaining. I had been aware for many years that my Mum had cut out my Grandad’s weekly newspaper columns from the Lincolnshire Echo during his time as the Oldest Columnist in the World and that she had them in scrapbooks. I also knew he had been interviewed by the BBC for a TV series about veterans of WW1 and I wanted a way to get all of this content in one place digitally so that my kids could read it. I thought a blog might be the way to go, but when I started looking at all of the content, a book seemed more appropriate and the idea for Lucky Jack (1894-2000) was born. COVID came along and I found I had more time on my hands so I decided to tackle the project and see what happened! I never expected to win the Readers Favorite gold medal for Biography last year. That was definitely a highlight!

Kookaburras, Cuppas & Kangaroos came together after my mother passed away two years ago. She often spoke of her time in Australia in the 1960s but I hadn’t realized she had kept all of her correspondence with her parents and it proved to be a treasure trove of information about life in Australia and New Zealand at that time. I really enjoyed getting to know a younger version of my mother who I think I would have got on really well with as a friend! A Yorkshire Lass: The Early Years is the prequel to Kookaburras and was told to me by my Mum. It’s free to download on my website: www.suebavey.com

Daydreams & Narcoleptic Nightmares is my Dad’s ‘writings’: poetry, fiction and memoir which I wanted to collect together in one place, again mostly so my kids could read it. Writing was an escape for my dad and he handwrote everything in hard to read cursive script on scraps of paper, so transcribing it all was quite a challenge, but I’m glad I was able to do it.

We’ve been part of your project “Not Marriage Material”. Can you tell us how it came about, what it involves, and how people can submit their own entries?

I had been part of a few anthologies over the last few years (mostly Robert Fear’s memoir collections, but also Alyson Sheldrake’s Travel Stories collection) and thought it would be nice to curate something similar myself. I had a couple of relationship stories I wanted to tell and so Not Marriage Material was born. It’s been a lot of fun collecting together everyone’s stories of the one that got away or the one you couldn’t wait to get away from! Information about submitting to the anthology can be found on my website.

You’ve lived around the world, the same as us, what’s the best advice you can give anyone thinking of moving to a new country?

Be flexible. Be prepared to do all kinds of different activities to get to know people and make friends. Keep an open mind and if you are an introvert try and challenge yourself socially. Having a support network of friends is imperative when you are far away from family. Also, never be afraid to ask for help.

What’s your next project?

I started writing a middle grade fantasy fiction novel a couple of years ago inspired by some structures I found on a beach in Cape Cod. I am hoping that inspiration will strike me again and I can work on that this summer when the school year ends (my day job is a High School office admin assistant and I am kept very busy, especially at this time of year).

I am a judge in this year’s Indie Ink awards and also the SFINCS novella competition, where I co-managed a team of judges last year and hope to do the same this year. It’s a great way to discover new books by relatively unknown authors and I have found some real favourites over the years!

I also proofread and copy edit for Vine Leaves Press and for self-published authors as a side job which keeps me busy too!

Don't forget you can also find Sue's playlist on Spotify by clicking the link below.

Eagle by Abba

As a child I was an ABBA superfan. I joined the fan club and subscribed to the monthly ABBA magazine. I looked forward to walking with my Mum to the local newsagent’s to pick up the magazine each month. I learnt how to say Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year in Swedish from the ABBA magazine - which I can remember to this day! I also went to see the ABBA movie multiple times so I have to pick one of their songs. I’ll go with a lesser known song: “Eagle”. I loved the way it conveyed the feeling of a bird soaring on the air currents and the lyrics suggested that the singers could talk to eagles and understand them which I found fascinating at a young age!! The video definitely feels dated now though.

Save A Prayer by Duran Duran

My first live concert was Duran Duran at Aston Villa football stadium in Birmingham. I was deeply in love with John Taylor the bassist at the age of 14 - we went on a coach trip from school with a couple of parents as chaperones. I bought a program and a T-shirt and thought I was super cool!

Duran Duran: Save a Prayer - I loved the opening instrumental part and the exotic video made me want to travel to an island paradise! 

She Sells Sanctuary by The Cult

When I turned 18 I started going dancing at a local club with a group of friends and my favourite song was She Sells Sanctuary by The Cult. It was our song and wherever we were whether it was the middle of a pub, a shop aisle or anywhere else, my friend and I would dance when that song came on. I still rock out to it in my kitchen while I’m emptying the dishwasher occasionally.

Pictures Of You by The Cure

I went to university in Manchester and became a big fan of alternative music, especially The Cure. I still love The Cure and especially Pictures Of You. Robert Smith lets loose with his angsty voice in the perfect accompaniment of wallowing in a heartbreak. The band took on a special significance in the last few years when a friend, who was also a big fan of The Cure, passed away from cancer. My friends and I now think of her whenever we hear them play.

This Is The Day by The The

My third year at university I  spent in Germany in a tiny bedsit with peculiar neighbours (a story for another time). It was my first experience of living abroad and I missed my friends and family enormously. When I was feeling lonely I would play The The’s  This is the Day loudly. The The are touring North America this year and my friend and I just bought tickets to see them in October.

Something Changed by Pulp

When I started dating my husband, Rob, we went to a lot of concerts and we both loved Pulp. We particularly liked the song ‘Something Changed’. I love the lyrics of many of Pulp’s songs. Jarvis Cocker is a great ‘people’s poet’. I love the fact that in this song he emphasizes how a small decision such as going to a particular place on a certain day can throw you into the path of someone who can change your life. If we hadn’t started working for the publishing company Dorling Kindersley in Covent Garden on the same day as each other, my husband and I would never have met.

“Oh, I could have stayed at home and gone to bed

I could have gone to see a film instead

You might have changed your mind and seen your friends

Life could have been very different but then

Something changed”

Thank You by Dido

At our wedding our first dance was Thank You by Dido. This song was sampled by Eminem in one of his rap songs and that version became more well known. While we were dancing a couple of guests came up to us incredulously saying Eminem? You’re dancing to a rap song? But we were not! 

The Song To The Siren by This Mortal Coil

I absolutely love love love Liz Fraser’s voice and this song showcases it really well. This is probably my all time favourite song. I also really like the idea of sirens luring lovestruck sailors into the ocean through their songs. 

Alligator by Of Monsters And Men

I love Icelandic band Of Monsters and Men. It’s difficult for me to pick just one of their songs but I’m going to choose Alligator. The chorus is made to be played loud and sung at the top of your lungs. 

Free by Florence And The Machine

I just love the video for this song in which Bill Nighy portrays the singer’s anxiety and it’s a very danceable song. Florence’s outfits are always completely amazing too and of course the dedication to Ukraine at the end is very poignant.

We hope you've enjoyed the latest playlist and a huge thanks to Sue for taking part.

Don't forget to have a browse around the website.

Until next time.

TTFN

MaxS and The Stray Army

Soundtrack Of My Life - Alyson Sheldrake

Alyson Sheldrake is the multi-award-winning author of non-fiction for animal lovers and a series of travel memoirs. 

In her bestseller, Kat the Dog, she beautifully captures the bond between humans and animals, leaving you with an overwhelming desire to hug your own pet more tightly or even adopt a rescue dog of your own. This multi-award-winning book has been described as a must read for animal lovers.

Kat the Dog is a true story of hope and redemption. It gives a glimpse into the life of a rescued animal and the universal message that we should never give up, no matter how hard things might seem. True love and a forever home can be just around the corner.

A Facebook review sums up this enchanting book so well: “Kat the Dog, while only little, touches on the big topics of determination, love, and kindness, so this is much more than just another dog story.”

The Small Dog Rules’ Karen Lena Izzo has depicted it as follows:

“Kat the Dog is a wonderful read for any dog lover. It offers a perfect blend of entertainment and education, and Kat’s story is one that readers won’t forget. Highly recommended.”

If you are a dog lover… this is the one for you.

Needless to say, Kat has been given honourary status as a part of the Stray Army.

Alyson also produces an amazing magazine every month called Snapshot! It's a really great read. Obviously, Tinker felt her interview was the best ever!

First up, congratulations. The Tractor Boys are back in the big time! How long did the celebrations in your part of Portugal last?

I knew a fellow football fan would understand! Back-to-back promotions for Ipswich Town and we’re back in the Premier League!! It’s been an amazing ride since the new owners took over and Kieron McKenna took charge and we’ve been fortunate enough to be able to watch all the games live here in Portugal via the new Town TV International Subscription package. Both husband Dave and I have refused to do any work on Saturday afternoons this year! And we’re still celebrating the season finale and probably will for a good while yet!

We read your monthly newsletter, although to us it’s a magazine. There’s so much content. How do you find the time to put it together and get so many interesting interviews and topics to keep it going?

Thank you – yes, it’s a real labour of love. It started off as a tiny 4-page A4 PDF sent to a few friends about 12 years ago, and it has grown into a 120+ page a month online magazine, reaching about 17,000 readers every month. I love bringing it all together and don’t really see it as ‘work’ as such. I’ve got people booked in for the main features for several months ahead in my planner … so it’s definitely here to stay!

Kat The Dog, obviously a book that resonates with us, is wonderful. Can you tell us how it came about?

This is the true story of our rescued Spanish water dog called Kat. She was found in a terrible state, wandering along the road near a remote village in Spain. Aged about 5, she was very underweight, full of ticks and fleas with a dreadfully matted coat. She was starving and distraught, having recently given birth. A friend who runs an animal charity here in the Algarve rescued Kat; and I knew the moment I saw her photo on FB that she was the girl for us. We had 8 wonderful years with her, and the book is her story – in her own words.

I had already written two travel memoirs about our life here in the Algarve in Portugal, and Kat’s story is told there. But I wanted Kat the Dog to be a much more personal account, and the moment I sat down to start writing, it came out as if Kat herself was speaking. Also, we knew nothing about her life before she was rescued, but we knew how ill she was and all the things that she was frightened of or reacted to. So I took all of those things and wove them into the first few chapters of the book to create a fictional account of her early days – but based upon her reactions and sadly, how we know so many homeless and stray dogs have to live in order to survive.

I think Kat came along at just the right time in my life and she was a one-in-a-million girl. I wanted to honour that and share her story, and now she has passed, it has become her legacy to help other animals in a similar position too, as I am donating 15% of the profits from the sale of Kat the Dog to local animal rescue charities.

What plans do you have that we can look forward to seeing?

I’m playing around with some ideas for a fictional story – that will have a dog as a central theme – so watch this space!

You can find out all about Alyson on her website www.alysonsheldrake.com. You can also sign-up to receive th amazing Snapshot! magazine at www.alysonsheldrake.com/news.

As always, you can find Alyson's playlist on Spotify by clicking the link below.

Seasons in the Sun by Terry Jacks

1973 and this is the first song I remember hearing on the radio at home. Mom always had Radio 2 playing in our house every day, and I used to love singing along … although sadly it was about this time (aged about 5) that I also realised that I cannot sing in tune for toffee. 

I was too young to realise how sad the lyrics were, although the original version, the Belgian song “Le Moribond” (”The Dying Man”) which was written by Belgian poet-composer Jacques Brel in 1961, was apparently even sadder. A dying man’s farewell to his loved ones. Terry Jacks changed some of the words, prompted by the news that his close friend had been diagnosed with leukaemia and given a mere six months to live. His friend died four months later.

Suddenly by Olivia Newton-John and Cliff Richard 

1980, from the soundtrack of the film Xanadu, and the first single I bought with my own pocket money. I can still see the colourful picture sleeve of the vinyl single I played to death on the family’s gramophone. I decided to choose the first single I bought instead of the first album, as I figured you probably wouldn’t want to include any tracks from The Wombles Christmas Album in this listing!

Walking on Sunshine by Katrina and the Waves

1990 and I was a newly graduated student embarking on a further year of study to gain my P.G.C.E. teaching certificate at Exeter University. They assigned me to teach at a private girls’ school in the city, and I have vivid memories of spending an entire term instructing a class of students to dance to this song for their end-of-term performance. Surprisingly, even now I can still enjoy the energy of this song, even though I must have heard it more than a hundred times that term.

From This Moment On by Shania Twain

Dave and I decided to get married on the 31st December 1999, little realising that we would become the last people to get married in the county of Devon in the last millennium! This was ‘our song’ for the big day, and I still get goosebumps when I hear it played. We got married in a Gothic folly, surrounded by close friends and family, then retired to the local pub for a champagne breakfast with smoked salmon and scrambled egg! 

Sweet Home Alabama by Lynyrd Skynyrd

Well, our concert tickets were really for Deep Purple, but Lynyrd Skynyrd came on stage as the main support act and blew the audience away. 2003 and the first act on stage was a band no-one had heard of – The Darkness! Deep Purple, in comparison, were pretty average, but Lynyrd Skynyrd were totally amazing and had the whole place rocking.

Gravity by John Mayer

John Mayer’s album Continuum came out in 2006 and it stayed in our car playing on repeat for about seven months! There was a record store in Exmouth, Devon, in the local market, and the lad behind the counter knew the type of music we liked. He was playing this album one morning when we popped in to see him, and we fell for it straight away. It was his only copy, and we literally wrestled it out of his arms to buy it. An epic album, and an iconic song with fabulous guitar playing and inspirational lyrics.

Mandolin Wind by Rod Stewart

2007 and the only time we have actually been able to stand on the pitch at Portman Road, home of Ipswich Town. A live concert with Rod Stewart, with a brilliant stage that stretched out into the audience and a great performance. Except for one thing – the rain! It absolutely poured down, Rod ending up singing holding a white umbrella, and we gave up and just enjoyed the music!

Come Away With Me by Norah Jones

When we moved here to live in the Algarve, Dave and I both wanted to see if our respective hobbies could become more for us. Dave had always held a camera in his hands, and I loved painting, but neither of us had time to indulge our creative passions whilst working full time in the UK. Fast forward to 2012 and we were ready to set up our very first ‘pop-up’ gallery in one of the nicest hotels in the Algarve. But what music should we play in the background? I set up a playlist on my iPod lasting eight hours, consisting solely of music by Norah Jones and Katie Melua. We ran 12 exhibitions over the next 8 years with the same playlist, and every time I hear this music, I am transported back to that moment, opening our event for the very first time.

Stuck Like Glue by Sugarland

I could have chosen any of their songs, I love their modern country music vibe, but I chose this one because the music video to accompany this song is hilarious! If you peep through the windows of my art studio when I’m working, you’ll probably spot me dancing (and singing (!) Sorry neighbours!!) to a modern country song like this one.

Country Music Made Me Do It by Carly Pearce

Another love of mine, Carly Pearce, has a magnificent voice, and her songs have excellent lyrics. This is a brand-new release from her next studio album, Hummingbird, that has been whizzing round my Amazon playlist in my studio all month. It has a great beat to paint to and mixes traditional and contemporary country-pop music so well.

Find out more about Alyson’s books and art on her website:

www.alysonsheldrake.com

And sign up to her newsletter here:

https://www.alysonsheldrake.com/news/

You can find all of Alyson's links at:

www.linktr.ee/alysonsheldrake

See you all next time.

MaxS and The Stray Army

Soundtrack Of My Life - Do Not Scratch Your Eyes

We're moving away from authors a little here to include some great friends who devised and run a podcast about all things Watford Football Club. I'm regularly asked about podcasts by authors, so we thought we'd contact Peter, Justin, and Carl to give us some insight from running the DNSYE podcast. Justin also has a regular radio show and other podcasts. What could possibly go wrong? Nothing at all, as it happens, we didn't even get sidetracked by turtles.

The boys are doing a live podcast recording on 3 August to help raise funds for the Pump House Theatre in Watford. There are still tickets left for "The Big Night Out", so grab them whilst you can by clicking the image below guaranteeing fun in the name of a good cause.

What's the secret to a successful podcast?

Peter: Wow that could bring a myriad of answers. Firstly, no two podcasts are the same and in some ways one “secret” to a successful podcast is not to simply copy another – the challenge is to make your own unique dynamic and content connect with an audience.

For me or for us, I feel that you need to build structure into podcasts but there is a difference between structure and rigidity. The structure of what you do should not stop you from improvisation or “going off script”. We never use a script but do understand what things we might want to cover and then we trust the dynamic between us as hosts and ensure that if we have a guest, that they are put at ease and understand that it is a friendly environment – we are not looking to catch anyone out.

Finally, as a top three (otherwise I could go on for hours) I think many podcasts underestimate the power of editing. There are many platforms that go out live but the fact that so much of what we do is spontaneous means that if we are to respect our listener’s time and trust in listening to us, then we need to do everything we can to make the content as (in our case) taut as we can and ensure any guest content is interesting (so that helps with point 2 also). We do a live phone in podcast and whilst that is slightly different, I still edit out the dead air and the instructions about how to come on air which can be repeated 20 times a show.

Actually finally – take what you do seriously, but don’t take yourself too seriously – podcasting is the ultimate in democratised broadcasting so it should be enjoyable to make otherwise it will be less enjoyable to listen to.

Justin: Absolutely no idea. I trialled a solo podcast born out of what I was doing on Hospital Radio. I always wanted to include the listeners as I realised one person rambling was about as interesting as counting rice. I would ask a question every week and then read out the answers the week after. This built a small following but as there was never any kind of theme to the podcast I stopped doing it after a few episodes. When Carl and I started DNSYE I was keen to keep an element of that in. So even by episode two we were reading out questions from listeners like ‘what’s your favourite chant’ or ‘what’s your best ever kit’. By episode four we had our first ex-player interview (Tony Coton). Again it was important for listeners to be able to quiz the guests so we created a ‘punters questions’ section. I think that listeners hearing their name and their question being put to the guest made it special for them. This has organically spread into the post match spaces when we started doing those. Now listeners have a weekly platform to air their views about Watford. 

I also think keeping an authentic voice is important. Be yourself. Don’t try and copy anyone. Drop any aspects of your output that you feel aren’t working. Keep in stuff people tell you they like. Don’t overthink anything. If you consider a topic is something you’d like listening to then the chances are someone else will want to.

Personality balance is also important I think. There is a twelve year age gap between the eldest and youngest hosts of DNSYE. We all have different strengths as to how we serve the podcast and its output, and we all have different opinions on Watford F.C. If we all had the same views it would be boring to listen to. 

We have never done a great deal of preparation for any podcast before pressing the record button. The one exception being the aforementioned Tony Coton interview where I tried to use an idea I had seen elsewhere with a ‘Wikipedia Fact or Fiction’ section. This wasn’t used again as I felt it didn’t serve the episode well. Obviously we use pre-made contributions from others on opposition view episodes but only Peter knows the content. Myself and Carl haven’t seen these prior to recording. I usually haven’t even prepared the disappointing local attraction item until I remember about it halfway through the episode recording. 

We made everything ourselves from the opening/closing titles, the jingles, the graphics etc. We have never used an outside agency to design anything that we use. The name of the podcast came relatively easily and wasn’t something that was agonised about. There were other names mooted between us but it was all ‘hornets’ this or ‘yellows’ that. Taking something that everybody recognises but they don’t know why like ‘Do Not Scratch Your Eyes’ gives you an immediate talking point - ‘oh where does that come from?’ 

Editing is vital. Keeping it tight and taking out long gaps, mistakes and passages that are repetitive or irrelevant is key. Again it comes down to ‘would I want to listen to this?’ If the answer is ‘no’ then assume nobody else would want to either. 

There’s no shortcut to building a listenership. There isn’t one waiting for you to come along, especially if you’re trying to break into a market already saturated with fan made content. Consistent episode release and quality control will help. We only started seeing what I would describe as truly unbelievable listening figures during year three. 

Carl: I guess the 1st point of contact has to be compelling content. We try to focus on creating engaging, valuable, and unique content that resonates with our target audience. Consistency in quality is key. Moving on from that, I would say clear concept and target audience, we wanted to define our podcast's niche and target audience. A clear concept helps attract and retain listeners who are interested in Watford and the content we deliver. A big drive of Peters is consistent schedule. We try to stick to a consistent publishing schedule to keep the audience engaged and build anticipation whenever possible, but let’s not lie, it is Watford FC and that’s always going to be a tough ask. It would also be amiss of me not to talk about equipment, thanks to our patrons we have been able to invest in decent audio equipment and have Peter on hand to do some incredible editing to ensure we have clear sound. It’s my belief that listeners appreciate good production quality. I would say that something we stand proud to is our engagement quality and that would a big part of my list when asked what we do well. We try to Interact with our listeners through social media, email, and now live events. Building a community around our podcast has made such a difference and has just enhanced its success. I think the last one and in some ways, the most important one, is never stand still, always try to improve and be better, we always ask for feedback from listeners and analyse metrics to understand what works and what doesn't, then adapt accordingly. I think that’s way we always keep it fresh.

I believe combining these elements with a pinch of passion and a large spoonful of dedication, you'll increase your chances of running a successful podcast. I make it sound so simple.

How does one become a guest on a podcast?

Justin: On DNSYE we invite on guests that we think will be interesting for the listener. Obviously there is going to be a fair amount of ex-Watford players interviews as we are fans of the club. However we also talk to other notable people associated with the town which in the past has included local authors, the mayor, a rapper, celebrities, comedians and radio presenters. We might also be approached by charitable fundraisers looking for help raising their profile which were are happy to do.

Peter: Our podcast has a number of different programs and getting on will vary. Our phone in people simply have to request via X/Twitter Spaces and then we bring them on. On other podcasts we typically reach out to people or if they have an idea, they might reach out to us. We are big on helping promote any charitable events or causes that might be going on in the football club’s supporter community so we get a few requests for those but often we will think about who might be a guest that listeners might be interested in and then invite them in.

We have the excuse of being brought up living above our mother's clothes shop in St. Albans Road. We even remember watching the legend, Luther Blissett, score a hat-trick on match of the day when we beat Harlow Town 4-3 in the FA Cup. We were destined to suffer the trials and tribulations of being a Hornet from a young age. Where did your story start with the Golden Boys?

Justin: For me it was growing up around the area. I was born next to the ground and lived in Watford Fields until I was 3. We spent the next seven years in Pinner then moved to Rickmansworth and I wanted to start going to Vicarage Road after watching them play in the 1984 Cup Final on TV. My dad was a Manchester United fan but going to Old Trafford week in week out was never going to be practical so he saw the sense in going to watch football locally. I’ve been going since August 1985 just before my 11th birthday. 

Peter: My first game was in 1978 and it was a birthday party of a friend of mine, and I was hooked. I still love the feeling of walking through a vomitory and seeing a stadium or arena open up in front of me and that was the first time I had experienced it. It was the game when Graham Taylor’s team lifted the 4th Division (now League 2) trophy, and I didn’t realise that I was at the start of a rollercoaster ride that would last a lifetime.

I always say that Watford FC can concertina in any fans life, depending on circumstances, finance or other commitments, it can increase and decrease depending on the amount of time available but it is always an old friend for all supporters to come back and enjoy – even if some need to have some kind of reconciliation with whoever owns it at the time.

So here's the soundtracks, as always the playlist is available on Spotify by clicking the link:

Carl's Playlist:

Hurt by Johnny Cash

Just love the words. Such a simple song but it packs a punch. I recommend the acoustic version.

Mr. Forgettable by David Kushner

A beautiful song about dementia, again the words just sit with me. My mum was diagnosed five years ago. And the song sits with me or that reason.

Alive by Pearl Jam

It’s Peal Jam, not sure there is much more to it.

Cumberland Gap by David Rawlings

This is a song I first heard from the Guy Ritchie film The Gentlemen, it’s just one of those songs that stays in my head. If I get out the car and it’s on, it’s in my head all day.

Maybe Tomorrow by Stereophonics

A song that just reminds me of my wife, and to live every day if it’s your last. Again the acoustic version is a must.

Like A Stone by Chris Cornell

This one takes me to a place where I remember the ones that I’ve lost, or people that I would love to see and speak to again. I’m not a big believer in the afterlife, but this song and its words, makes me think.

Wicked Game by Stone Sour

What a Jam!!!! Just love this one. Full pelt, this is the song I would sing (if I could) and if I was in a band, thankfully for the rest of you, I’m not.

Monsters by James Blunt

Came out a few days after my Dad passed away. It’s fair to say I do tear up at this one. Anyone who’s had a good relationship with their dad or a father figure, this song and its words just hit a nerve.

Take Me To Church by Hozier

So underrated, again the words are beautiful and for the 3rd time, acoustic version is a must.

Hotel California by The Eagles

Just reminds me of good and fun times. Turn it up and let it play.

Justin's Playlist:

Time To Pretend by MGMT

Dire Straits’ ‘Money For Nothing’ updated for a cynical naughties audience. The simple chord structure underpins a complicated arrangement that catches you out for the first few listens. The lyrics start with the youthful optimism and dreams of becoming famous musicians; each group member’s respective drug habits and trappings of fame already mapped out before them: 

“I’ll move to Paris 

Shoot some heroin and fuck with the stars 

You man the island and the cocaine and the elegant cars” 

Before doubling down with: 

“This is our decision 

To live fast and die young 

We’ve got the vision 

Now let’s have some fun”

The songs ends with the grim realities of the music business playing out in their lives: 

“We’ll choke on our vomit 

And that will be the end 

We were fated to pretend” 

As close to music perfection as it gets. 

Astral Weeks by Van Morrison

I bought the album ‘Astral Weeks’ when I was about 20 after reading about it in a magazine. Some 30 years on whenever I put it on it’s like listening to it for the first time all over again. I notice little things I haven’t heard before in the music. I can’t think of any other album that I have this experience with. The opening lines of the song/album are: 

“If I ventured in the slipstream 

Between the viaducts of your dream” 

deep or what?

The song itself has just two alternating chords all the way through. Just brilliant 

Bullingdon Club by Lux Lisbon

A sideways satirical swipe about the ruling classes told through a tuneful critique of an all-male dining club at Oxford University famous for riotous events where members smash hosting venues up when the evening concludes (before paying in cash for repairs). Members are only selected if they come from extremely wealthy backgrounds and show a willingness to take part in the violent activities: recent members have included George Osbourne, Boris Johnson and David Cameron. 

The song ends with what I think are amongst the best lyrics ever written: 

“Because everybody wants to change the world 

But nobody ever wants to change so 

Let’s all dance to the sound of loneliness 

Close our eyes and scream until it’s over!” 

Wonderful. 

The More You Ignore Me The Closer I Get by Morrissey

The Smiths and Morrissey’s solo output has never fallen out of my music listening rotation. As a guitarist I have given up trying to play anything that Johnny Marr has written. It’s beyond complicated. His beautifully constructed melodies are complimented by Morrissey’s  lyrics that focus heavily on rarely used topics such as unrequited love, unemployment, inadequacy, social anxiety, long boring school  holidays and thoughts of previously wanting to strangle a partner who’s currently in a coma. 

You either get or you don’t get Morrissey. Those that do foster a loyalty to him that is rarely if ever seen in any other artist. 

Bitter experience has proven to me that there is no point trying to convert a naysayer. Conversely meeting a fellow fan is always highly rewarding. You can guarantee that any venue Morrissey plays will have tickets sold out within seconds. He’s the artist I have seen live in concert more than any other. 

This is an accessible solo Morrissey song that even non-fans know and un-admittedly sing along to in their cars when nobody is looking. 

Last Caress/Green Hell by Metallica (originally recorded by The Misfits)

Since their very early days Metallica have been known for their cover versions as much as for their own compositions. These covers have opened up new audiences for bands such as Diamond Head, Anti-Nowhere League, Discharge and The Misfits. 

After the death of original bass player Cliff Burton in 1986 ‘Garage Days Re-revisited’ was released between the albums Master Of Puppets and And Justice For All as a way to introduce new bass player Jason Newstead to fans. 

The highlight of this EP of cover versions is final track ‘Last Caress/Green Hell’ a medley of two Misfits songs. Played at a blistering place and clocking in at 3 1/2 minutes it showcases perfectly how Metallica can take songs and make them their own. 

Hearing this for the first time started a curiosity followed by a lifelong love of The Misfits - a band that fused b-movie horror themes with straightforward underproduced punk. Totally unique. 

Bodies by The Sex Pistols

I can only imagine how it must have been to hear this song for the first time when it was released in 1977 amongst the disco and turgid progressive rock that was stinking  out the airwaves at the time. It was eleven years later in 1988 when I was 14 that I bought ‘Never Mind The Bollocks’ and the shock of ‘Bodies’ in particular was just as jarring against the Stock, Aitken and Waterman and house music dross my peers were listening to. 

I still get the goosebumps when that opening riff in E Major starts churning away at the start of the track. When I was 17 I started a covers band at school and we used to give this a go, deliberately keeping in the ‘fuck this and fuck that’ refrain before the final chorus. 

Break Stuff by Limp Bizkit

I saw them perform this at The Sonisphere Festival in 2011. It felt like there was an earthquake erupting underneath the crowd as they jumped up and down. 

It’s also the only rap that I can do all the way through without faltering. 

It’s My Own Cheating Heart That Makes Me Cry by Glasvegas 

Glasvegas’ first album is one of those rare records where I don’t skip any tracks when I listen to it. 

Track three ‘It’s My Own Cheating Heart That Makes Me Cry’ is a first person account of a serial cheat that continually finds himself in broken down relationships destroyed by his own insecurities and controlling jealousy. His actions find him lamenting ‘it’s funny how me fucking her about have got me in this fucking mess’ as another relationship ends messily. 

There really isn’t another song like this anywhere. 

Caffeine Bomb by The Wildhearts

A tongue twistingly fast-paced blast of pop punk dealing with the misery of full blown hangovers. 

The lyrics centre around the need for someone else, anyone, to make a bloody big coffee in order to get the day started as the narrator is incapacitated on the toilet physically incapable of doing it himself - ‘baby can’t you see I’m shitting brown water?’ 

This song was played on Top Of The Pops. I can still remember Simon Mayo introducing it followed by me writing down the title down when it had finished so I could buy it the following day.

Blimey I’ve just looked it up on YouTube and the TOTP performance is there! 

Aneurysm by Nirvana

Having been of age when grunge broke is a quirk of nature I will always be thankful for. That the city of Seattle could produce the likes of Nirvana, Alice In Chains, Pearl Jam, The Melvins, Tad, Soundgarden and Mudhoney all at the same time is nothing short of phenomenal. Having these available to me at the age of seventeen meant I bought into it lock stock and barrel. 

Nirvana’s quiet, loud, quiet, verse, chorus, verse schtick was especially appealing. As someone trying to get into bands at the time their music was an instant talent leveller during thousands of  rehearsals for burgeoning young rock stars as their superbly crafted songs were often easy enough for beginners to play. 

Aneurysm isn’t a particularly well known Nirvana song, but it embodies everything about their spirit, song structure and melody writing in one brief but perfect blast of nineties alternative rock. 

Peter's Playlist:

Going Underground by The Jam

This was like “a road to Damascus experience” for me. In March 1980 on Saturday morning there was a kids show called “Multi-coloured Swap Shop” hosted by Noel Edmonds. They would introduce bands and they played the video of “Going Underground” and I was dumbstruck, it finished and I remember turning to ITV and they almost instantly played the same music video and by the end of it, I was singing along. I instantly cracked open my piggy bank (I had just turned 10 and piggy banks were a thing then) took out my cash and walked into Watford, went into “Our Price Records” close to the pond at the top of the High Street and purchased my first stored bought record. It started a lifelong love affair with the Jam and when I started playing in bands a few short years later I never wanted anything more than to be Paul Weller in that moment.

The fact that a 22 year old could write lyrics and a tune about the subject matter disassociation with a society in light of defence spending out stripping welfare in terms of finance and government policy was simply stunning!

“You've made your bed, you better lie in it. You choose your leaders and place your trust, As their lies wash you down and their promises rust, You'll see kidney machines replaced by rockets and guns, And the public wants what the public gets, But I don't get what this society wants”

Hanging on the Telephone by Blondie

Like many kids with older siblings my first introductions to music was through my brother. In approximately 1979 the “Parallel Lines” album came into our house and I was transfixed at first by the album cover. The Black and White lined back drop and band wearing black and white suits was quite regulation in tone and approach but served to emphasise the impact of the stunning Debbie Harry being front and centre. Like a punk Marilyn Monroe and exuding attitude and unapologetic sexuality this 9 year old “heterosexual” burned into me in that moment! 

Parallel Lines had better known more commercially successful songs but “Hanging on the Telephone” hit me from the ringtone intro straight into a rip roaring vocal with the rest of the band almost catching up with Harry as she berates the songs antagonist with questions in the manner of a spurned ex-girlfriend going on the offensive in an obsessive style featuring innocuous lyrics were it not for the delivery and performance

“It's good to hear your voice, you know it's been so longIf I don't get your calls, then everything goes wrongI want to tell you something you've known all alongDon't leave me hanging on the telephone” 

My World by Secret Affair

Bought as an after thought along with “Going Underground” (the piggy bank took a hell of a beating that day) this confirmed my position as a “Mod”, even thought the Mod revival had been a year or so earlier.

A classic Mod anthem trying to capture the essence of Modernism of good living in difficult circumstances.

“I can feel that taste for life slipping away, And striking the lost chord I find nothing new to say, Someone told me all dressed with nowhere to go, I should have that sinking feeling, my head hung low, But this is my world today, My world your living in every day”

The Night Before by The Beatles

Having fallen for the Jam in their heyday there were lots of references to the Beatles but for nine months or so I had not been exposed to them and then I recall we had a radio in the kitchen and as everyone was preparing to go school and work, I was finishing breakfast with everyone else out of the room and Terry Wogan (we were a Radio 2 family) announced that John Lennon had been shot and killed in New York. I remember telling my mum and it was only from her reaction that I realised what a seismic event this was and what a vital individual John Lennon had been.

That night the BBC played the film “Help” and by the end of it and the news programs detailing I was once again raiding the piggy bank and within days had purchased the “Help” album. I remember a disastrous driving holiday being made bearable by having a tape recorder on which I had recorded the Album and any other music – mostly the Jam. I could have chosen almost any track from Help but sometimes a track just chooses you – and this was the case here. 

Down in the Park by Tubeway Army

Friends often become more influential than siblings or parents and a friend of mine was a massive Gary Numan fan. In the late 70’s as the possibilities of Electronic music were being pioneered Numan’s Tubeway Army released a seminal album including the track “Are Friends Electric”. Numan was one of my first gigs and was massively impressive despite his limited vocal range his dystopian lyrics and images coupled with imaginative stage sets were enthralling. My preferred track was “Down in the Park” with incredibly dark lyric inspired by 1984/Brave New World dystopian society where life is cheap and machinery is a danger in and of itself. The bass synthesizer replaced power chords in a way that was powerful and eery.

Kid Gloves by Rush

I was introduced to Rush during what for many was their bad period musically – I didn’t notice. The Canadian 3 piece were playing with synthesizers having been previously a progessive rock trio but the time signatures and complexity appealed to me as I was starting to make music myself and this stuff felt inspirational both in terms of musical and lyrical content describing what I thought at the time was teenage anxiety and tension but as you get older you realise you don’t stop learning at any age and anxiety and tension are constant companions through life.

[Verse 1] A world of difference, A world so out of touch, Overwhelmed by everything, But wanting more so much, Call it blind frustration, Call it blind man's bluff, Call each other namesY, our voices rudeYour voices rough, Then you learn the lesson, That it's cool to be so tough

[Chorus 1] Handle with kid gloves , Handle with kid gloves, Then you learn the lessons, Taught in school won't be enough, Put on your kid gloves, Put on your kid gloves, Then you learn the lesson, That it's cool to be so tough

[Verse 2] A world of indifference, Heads and hearts too full, Careless of the consequence, Of constant push and pull, Anger got bare knuckles, Anger play the fool, Anger wear a crown of thorns, Reverse the golden rule , Then you learn the lesson, That it's tough to be so cool

Fall At Your Feet by Crowded House

Pretty much anything from the Neil or Tim Finn stable could make it on to a top ten soundtrack for me. This is from Woodface which saw the Finn brothers both play and write some classic tunes but this is one that again plays with musical conformity. The middle eight is transcendent in a way that Neil Finn achieves with astonishing regularity and the lyrics hit a melancholic chime of love and dependency living along the fear of failure. Its just beautiful.

The finger of blame has turned upon itself, And I'm more than willing to offer myself, Do you want my presence or need my help? Who knows where that might leadI fall, Whenever I fall at your feet, Won't you let your tears rain down on me? Whenever I touch your slow turning pain, Whenever I fall (at your feet) Whenever I fall

Same Old Scene by Roxy Music

Roxy Music were like Bowie in that I caught their later era’s before discovering back catalogues that were imaginative, creative and polished in its production. This is the definitive tune that captures that memory of being young with a first car which represented the first opportunities for real freedom accompanied by a car stereo worth about 3 times what the car was worth (the ate 80’s saw rubbish in car stereos and therefore a market sprung up for quality replacements). This still feels like driving through various parts of southern England in the summer with the window down. And of course Bryan Ferry was effortlessly cool and had a distinctive voice and delivery.

In our lighter moments, Precious few, It's all that heavy weather, We're going through, When I turn the corner, I can't believe, It's still the same old movie, That's haunting me, Young loving baby, Oh, so mean, Trying to revive, The same old scene, Young loving baby, So extreme, Maybe we should try, The same old scene

I Feel So Good by Richard Thompson

A great guitarist with Fairport Convention and folk artist in his own right, his “Rumour and Sigh” album is simply brilliant. In his 50’s by then the composition articulates the same frustration seen in “Kid Gloves” but with the feeling of indestructibility that youth can provide, but there is an irony in the song as you realise it is being delivered by the singer who knows from experience that there is no such thing as indestructibility.

I feel so good I'm going to break somebody's heart tonight, I feel so good I'm going to take someone apart tonight, They put me in jail for my deviant ways, Two years seven months and sixteen days, Now I'm back on the street in a purple haze, And I feel so good, and I feel so good, Well I feel so good I'm going to break somebody's heart tonight

Ashes to Ashes by David Bowie

I wasn’t the biggest Bowie fan as a youngster, I was too in the thrall of the Jam, but Bowie’s chameleon like images and refusal to stand still or be pin holed always stood out for me. To be honest so many tracks could have made it in including life on Mars as or several years we would go on holiday to Ibiza at the start of summer and to the Norfolk broads – so the lyrics alone would have been biographical. Instead I think Ashes to Ashes is, for me, the definitive Bowie song. It came with an accompanying video which was at the time the most expensive ever made, but was just another example of Bowie “pushing the envelope”. The lyrics recapturing the character “Major Tom” from his original hit “Space Oddity” now literally “spaced out” was masterful.

They got a message from the Action Man

"I'm happy. Hope you're happy, too."

I've loved. All I've needed: love.

Sordid details following.

"The shrieking of nothing is killing me

Just pictures of Jap girls in synthesis

And I ain't got no money and I ain't got no hair

But I'm hoping to kick but the planet is glowing

Ashes to ashes, funk to funky

We know Major Tom's a junkie

Strung out in heaven's high

Hitting an all-time low 

You can find out more about Do Not Scratch Your Eyes, or listen to the podcasts, by clicking the image below.

Or you can find details of Justin's radio show and TalkSport podcast by following him on Twitter (or X, or whatever it's called today) https://x.com/PodcastJustin

You can also still grab one of the few remaining tickets for The Big Night Out raising funds for The Pump House Theatre by clicking below.

Until next time, TTFN

MaxS and The Stray Army

PS. Don't forget to have a look round our website for books, merchandise and downloads.

Soundtrack Of My Life - Gary Cockaday

In our latest Soundtrack Of My Life post, we're meeting Gary Cockaday. He's the author of one of our best books of 2023, Full Circle. He's now back with his second book which we've been lucky enough to see in advance. Unsurprisingly, we love A Moment's Madness too and highly recommend it.

You can buy both books by clicking the images above.

What was the thought processes behind your books?

I'd always wanted to write a book, just one book. I hadn't dreamt beyond one book. I'd started the first a few times, each time life got in the way of finishing it. 

When Covid broke, my wife was an A&E nurse. We were offered a lovely barn on the edge of a small village, which had a separate annex so that Mrs C could shower and wash her clothes before joining us in the main house.

It made me blow the dust off my 70 odd pages and start again. I finished the first draft in about 8 weeks.

You’ve had an interesting publishing journey. What should authors look for, and any pitfalls to avoid?

I was lucky to find a publisher for Full Circle. I hadn't intended to write a second but made the mistake of sitting at my desk one day and the words flew. It started as a standalone but my two favourite cops from Full Circle forced their way in. A Moment's Madness can, however, be read as a standalone. 

My publishers recently merged with another publisher so are closed to new submissions. I queried for a while without joy, so decided to try the self-publishing route. I've loved the control, being able to say  "that cover's not working for me" and selecting the right people for me to work with. 

That's my biggest piece of advice don't throw hard-earned money at a project. Pick your people very carefully. 

I owe Paul Martin a thank you - Paul edits my work until ready to submit to potential agents or publishers. 

I owe Kathryn (CJ Hall) a huge thank you, she polished my manuscript until shiny and sorted my cover artwork, until I was happy. I love the published covers. She also sorted the formatting. 

So I'd say, take your time, research before spending and select carefully. 

We know you’re an avid participant in walking football. How does it work, and how do you get involved?

I'm 66, happily married to Mrs C, my hard-working nurse/wife, we share 5 kids and a slightly obsessive collie called Flint. I play golf badly. My biggest bit of wonderfulness outside family is walking football, now the fastest growing form of football in the UK. 

I've played for Norwich City CSF for 4 years, now playing for Norwich Soca Seniors, playing 2 to 3 times per week. My pacemaker enjoys the exercise. I've made several National Finals, the EFL Cup at St Georges - losing 1-0 to Sheffield Utd in the final, The IWFF National Cup which we won and two finals days with the WFA. I've been honoured to pull on two England shirts. 

Here's Gary's playlist. As always you can find it on Spotify by clicking the logo below.

Under Pressure by Queen & David Bowie

Loved this from the first listen, loving the legend that they created this whilst partying. I thought that I'd start with Brighton Rock, my very first single bought for me by an aged aunt who thought I'd like it. She's  responsible for my love of the best band ever.  

Hello by Adele

Just love the voice, the words. 

Don't Stop Me Now by Queen

I was 20, driving a spitfire, this music just worked on a sunny day with the top down. 

Angels by Robbie Williams

I fell in love with this track the very first time i heard it. Went to see him twice. We all know the words. 

God Only Knows by The Beach Boys

To be truthful it could have been any track from the Beach Boys, their music was the soundtrack of my summer.

Hello Again by Neil Diamond

As with the Beach Boys,I could have selected just about any track from Mr Diamond, if I couldn't sing like Freddie, Mr Diamond would have been my second choice. 

Unchained Melody by The Righteous Brothers

This is my Mother, she loved this track, so it's in my head, I love it. 

All Out Of Love by Air Supply

Another from my youth, just loved the harmonies, another volume up, top down track. 

Amazed by Lonestar

I first heard this in Canada. I'm taken back to that amazing Country every time I hear it. 

Thunderstruck by AC/DC

I asked Alexa to use this track on all alarm calls. Mrs C was not amused to be woken by this at 6am. Just love the track which has to be played at max vol. 

As it's my blog, I'm going to add a track here that matches Gary's musical heroes and his books.

Mr. Bad Guy by Freddie Mercury

I can't recommend Gary's books highly enough. Check out his website at www.garycockaday.com too.

Soundtrack Of My Life - Jacqueline Lambert

We are going to be bringing an extra dimension to the blog over the coming months. We will be speaking to authors and those in the publishing and film industries to discuss the soundtrack to their lives. Each author will pick ten songs and explain why the song is so important to them.

We feel it is an opportunity to get to know authors better and give a greater understanding of how their life experiences have impacted their books. It’s not meant to be their favourite songs, rather those that describe a moment of their lives. We will put a YouTube link to each song (where we can), so you can listen along too.  You'll also be able to download the playlist from Spotify. Obviously, there will always be a song somewhere that isn't available, but we'll do our best.

Without further ado, it’s time to meet our first author. Jacqueline Lambert has become one of our greatest friends since we started writing our books. It probably helps she travels the world in a 24.5 tonne truck with her husband and four dogs. We can relate to that. She’s an award-winning author of the Adventure Caravanning With Dogs series. We highly recommend reading them. You’ll laugh, empathise, and feel you’ve been on their travels with them.  

Her latest book, Building The Beast: How (Not) To Build An Overland Camper, is out now. We were fortunate to be given an advance copy. It’s a brilliant read where Grand Designs meets a 30-year-old ex-Army truck. We’re still not sure if the project was genius or insanity. Like most great things in this world. It was probably a bit of both! 

Jacqueline, what was the final push to make you write your books? 

My husband, Mark, and I gave up work in 2016, accidentally bought a caravan, then decided to rent out the house, sell most of our possessions, and tour in it full time with our four dogs.  

 

I have always loved writing, and friends who enjoyed my Facebook posts urged me to set up a blog. It took me two months to work out how to even add the title to WordPress, but eventually my travel blog, www.WorldWideWalkies.com was born. It not only describes our travels, but also gives tips on travelling with dogs, and how we quit the rat race without being millionaires, lottery winners, or beneficiaries in the will of some wealthy long-lost aunt.  

 

My first book came about because Nicola, one of my followers, said, “You should write a book. No one writes like you. Even your blog about toilets was a joy to read!”  

 

She also said that if I published, it would sort out her Christmas presents that year. Faced with such a vote of confidence – and a ready market – I went for it! Fur Babies in France: From Wage Slaves to Living The Dream was born on 2nd December 2018.  

 

Since then, I have published seven books about our travels. I am delighted to say, they have all received multiple 5* reviews, and two of them, Dogs ‘n’ Dracula: A Road Trip Through Romania and my latest, Building The Beast: How (Not) To Build An Overland Camper, have won awards!  

And What is the Soundtrack Of Your Life? 

You can download Jacqueline's Spotify playlist by clicking the logo below.

I have very diverse musical tastes – anything from opera to punk! It’s hard to narrow it down to just 10 tracks, but here is my attempt to do so: 

White Horses by Jacky

Aged 4, this was the first single (45 rpm record) I ever owned. It was the theme tune to a Yugoslav/German TV series of the same name, about Julia and Uncle Dmitri’s adventures with their wonderful white Lipizzaner horses. I was born loving horses, so I adored the series. Radio DJs always introduced the song as ‘It’s Jacky and her white horses’.  

Me (Jackie), aged four, assumed it was always dedicated to me! I often wondered how my parents pulled that off. 

I still find the lyrics magical – they embody the joy and freedom horses bring into your life.  

When I hear the song, it evokes happy summer memories of family caravan holidays at Morfa Beach, Conwy in Wales, where Mum took me pony trekking for the first time. I recall being ecstatic with excitement when she delivered the message, “Mitsy at 2 o'clock, Tuesday.” Mitsy was a white horse.  

My grandfather made me a white rocking horse, and presented ‘Whitey’ to me for my fifth birthday, but I was 28 years old before I got a real white horse – a half share in Colonel, a former event horse who previously belonged to round-the-world yachtsman, Sir Chay Blyth!  

My travels have since taken me to the stud at Lipica, Slovenia, where they breed the beautiful Lipizzaners who starred in the show I loved so much as a child. 

Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen

Aged 12, I remember seeing the video for Bohemian Rhapsody on Top of the Pops and fell instantly in love with Freddie Mercury and Queen. I still love this iconic track. My uncle owned Pink Panther Records in Carlisle, Cumbria. A teenager’s dream! He let me buy records at cost price and gave me all kinds of merchandise.  

Queen was a huge part of the soundtrack to my youth, and seeing a rock star playing a Bechstein encouraged me with my piano lessons, although the most modern music I was allowed to play was Gilbert and Sullivan.  

Queen encouraged my creativity in a number of ways. I won an embroidery competition at a local agricultural show with a black and white scarf on whose ends I’d painstakingly embroidered the coats of arms from my favourite Queen albums, Night at the Opera and Day at the Races, with the Queen logo from Queen II down the middle.

Whole Lotta Rosie by AC/DC

Aged 14. Although I have diverse musical tastes, I was, and still am, principally a rock chick. An adrenaline infused guitar riff and bass track really gets my blood pumping.  

The first band I ever saw live was AC/DC: the original lineup with Bon Scott as front man. In 1978, I had no idea how cool a credential this would become.  

I love live performance and this was up close and personal in a small venue in my home town of Blackburn in Lancashire. I was deaf for three days after the concert.  

We named our Rosie pup partly for the red rose of Lancashire, also her home county – and partly for AC/DC’s Whole Lotta Rosie, for her size and personality!  

Time by Pink Floyd

Dark Side of the Moon was the first Pink Floyd album I owned, aged 15, and I still love it deeply. When I first bought it, I was like an addict. I couldn’t wait to get home from school for my Floyd fix. In particular, the synthesisers on the introduction to Time enamoured me and I still find the lyrics inspiring. They are very perceptive, particularly when you consider how young the band was when they wrote it. Not wasting the time we’ve been given is exactly how Mark and I have chosen to live our lives.   

I finally saw Floyd in 1994 – at Earl’s Court, at the notorious gig when the stands collapsed. It was typical of my life – so often people say to me, “Only you…!” I was, of course, on the stand that collapsed. 

However, I am pleased to say that, although I ended up flat on my back staring at the ceiling amid a mess of scaffolding poles, I didn’t spill my beer!  

I consider Dark Side one of the best albums in the world, ever. Apart from Wish You Were Here… Life without Floyd is not something I can contemplate. 

Private Dancer by Tina Turner

On our first date in 1999, Mark and I were sung to by a Thai lady boy dressed as Tina Turner. Isn’t everyone?! 

It was a wet Wednesday evening and were the only customers in a Thai restaurant in Ealing, West London. As Mark and I chatted, I asked the waiter about what could only be described as caterwauling coming from the kitchen.  

“Oh, it’s my friend over from Germany. He does impressions of Tina Turner,” the waiter replied.  

We expressed interest and moments later, the irrepressible friend was alongside our table. “I’m performing here on Saturday,” he said, beaming. 

“We can’t make it,” we told him regretfully, because his enthusiasm was so contagious. 

During our meal, he popped out a few times, mostly to ask our opinion on various components of his outfit. First, he bounded over wearing a massive grin and a Tina Turner wig.  

Then, a luminous pout appeared beneath his wig and he demanded to know, “What do you think of my lipstick?”  

Finally, he emerged from the kitchen clad in a little black dress, high heels, and fishnet stockings and treated us to our own outstanding personal rendition of Private Dancer. 

It was a very special evening that sticks in my mind not only because of Tina Turner. En route to the restaurant, a French guy stopped to ask directions. I don’t know what prompted him to ask, “Are you two married?” When I said, “No...” he replied, “You should be!”  

37 weeks later, we were!  

My wedding present to Mark was a cartoon montage of some of the one-offs that happened during our short courtship. Our Thai Lady Boy was centre stage! 

25 years on, our life together has had many of these wonderful, weird, occurances and I love it.  

The Flower Duet by Leo Delibes from the opera Lakme

Opera has such power and beauty. I first heard The Flower Duet in an obscure film, which used this uplifting piece of music to envision the most beautiful painting the protagonist had ever looked upon. They didn’t show the painting: it was just a frame emitting celestial light. It took years, but I made it my mission to discover what this stunning piece of music was. Eventually, I heard it on the radio and made my dad remember it while I found a pen to write it down. 

On an early date, Mark and I saw Carmen performed by the Glyndebourne Touring Opera, who gave a stellar performance. On our first anniversary, we saw La Traviata and Aida live in the Roman Arena in Verona. It was an unforgettable experience, with a russet-coloured full moon hanging in the late summer sky, and the power of two hundred voices on stage during the anvil chorus. 

Anarchy In The UK by The Sex Pistols

I said my musical taste spanned anything from opera to punk. I love the energy and innovation of the punk era and it doesn’t get better than the opening riff of Anarchy. I grew up with the likes of The Sex Pistols, The Clash, The Stranglers, and The Damned. I remember listening to them broadcast by Radio Luxembourg on a fuzzy transistor radio in my bedroom.  

When my brother and I played our secret copy of Never Mind the B******s, Here’s The Sex Pistols (whose cover we kept carefully concealed), Mum used to do her best to annoy us. She did all the typical parent things in response to our music. “Is it a man or a woman?” she’d ask about my beloved Freddy, or, “It’s just ‘thump, thump, thump,” about AC/DC. But her worst transgression was the day she asked, “What are they singing about? Pretty Bacon?” To this day, whenever I hear Pretty Vacant by The Sex Pistols, I can’t unhear Pretty Bacon. Thanks, Mum!  

The Rain Song by Led Zeppelin

I doubt my rock chick credentials would be complete without including Zeppelin. I love energetic rock music, but also appreciate the soulful, and lyrical ballads. In my 30s, I gave up work to backpack around Fiji, New Zealand, and Australia. The teenage gap-yearers on the backpacking circuit viewed me as a sad old maid, until I answered the winning question in a female vs male quiz. The boys had set what they thought were impossible questions for girls to answer. I don’t know why they thought I wouldn’t be able to name all the band members of Led Zeppelin!  

The Elements by Tom Lehrer

I do love a comic song with clever, witty lyrics. My dad introduced me to Tom Lehrer and, as a biochemist, I must choose The Elements – in which mathematician and musical humourist, Tom Lehrer, cleverly recites the Periodic Table of the Elements to The Major General’s Song from Gilbert and Sullivan’s Pirates of Penzance. I suggest you also check out Kit and the Widow, Tim Minchin, and Fascinating Aida, all of whom I’ve seen several times. What impresses me most is that, besides having such sharp lyrics, they are musically brilliant.  

 

I did write my own version of Tom Lehrer’s song – The Elephants, which goes ‘There’s Indian and African... That’s it.’  

Dad and I used to write each other silly poems. For his birthday, I once presented him with The Periodic Table of Pasta.  

Drop Kick Me Jesus by Bobby Bare

Country music is not my favourite genre, but I first heard this track in a remote Lake District cottage where Mark and I got away from it all for the millennium. We had gas lights and a pot-bellied stove, and cooled our champagne in the stream outside the back door. Surrounded by lofty peaks, our only connection with the outside world was the Irish radio station, RTÉ Radio 1. One morning over breakfast, they did a feature called, ‘Tracks that make you want to shout ‘YOWZA’!’  

Drop Kick Me Jesus featured, along with another track called Teddy Bear – a tale of such woe, it not only made Mark and I want to shout YOWZA! The tracks made laugh so uncontrollably we nearly expelled our breakfasts through our noses. 

If ever I’m feeling down, I play Drop Kick Me Jesus. It never fails to cheer me up! 

Thank you, Jacqueline, for giving us such a great playlist. 

 

A reminder of Jacqueline’s latest book, Building The Beast: How (Not) To Build An Overland Camper , is out now.  

 

Find All Jackie’s books on Amazon : https://author.to/JLambert  

Follow her travel blog : www.WorldWideWalkies.com  

Visit her author website : www.JacquelineLambert.co.uk   

 

Jacqueline (Jackie) Lambert is an award-winning travel writer, adventure traveller, and dogmother, who loves history and curious facts.  

BC (Before Canines) she rafted, rock-climbed, and backpacked around six of the seven continents. A passionate windsurfer and skier, she can fly a plane, has been bitten by a lion, and appeared on Japanese TV as a fire-eater. 

AD (After Dog), she quit work in 2016 to hit the road permanently with her husband and four pooches. Initially, they were Adventure Caravanners, who aimed To Boldly Go Where No Van Has Gone Before.  

Now, they’re at large in The Beast, their self-converted six-wheel army lorry, with Mongolia in their sights.   

 

All her books and the anthologies that include her travel stories are available on Amazon: https://author.to/JLambert  

The Power Of Words

There are times I can go a little introspective. Events of the past few months have certainly led to a few weeks of thinking about the responsibility, and power, journalists, PR pros, and authors have in what is our chosen career path.

Kind words, or messages of support, create a friendly community-based world. Harsh and divisive ones destroy countries.

I recently wrote a column for Voices newspaper on the positive changes occurring in the little piece of paradise where I live. The shop at the top of the road is under new ownership and they’re making a lot of good changes. As a new, and friendly, business, I included a paragraph about them in the column.

The next morning, I walked in to buy our usual loaves of bread to be greeted by huge smiles. Their daughter is learning English at school. She’d written me a note saying I was a really important part of the community and they all loved me. I’m glad I was wearing sunglasses, as the moisture in my eyes could have been misconstrued for tears.

It proves my point. People come together like moths around a flame when there’s positivity. It’s incumbent on every journalist to remember this when we write our articles. It’s been decades since divide and conquer became the default setting for politicians and national news outlets. I’m convinced it’s the primary driver behind the anger currently dominating the world.

There are bad things happening in the world. They need to be reported. Imagine how we could change perceptions through the power of our words. We all know we can. There’s far too much “I’m right, you’re wrong” in the world and almost no room for discussion and listening to another point of view. It’s depressing.

Authors have a similar responsibility, but in a different way. Our role is to entertain and educate. The great Freddie Mercury once said, “If I can take people away from their problems for a couple of hours, I’ve done my job.”

A book lasts more than a couple of hours, but sums up our primary role. If we keep it in mind, then even the genre of the destruction of worlds becomes incredibly valuable.

Using our words to entertain and educate has a profound effect. It’s a responsibility we should take very seriously.

The PR industry also plays a major role. There’s been a positive shift over the past decade where companies realise they have an obligation to their communities. Communicating the benefits any organisation brings to the world is vital.

Look at the damage Elon Musk has done with his new plaything. Whatever he may think, he’s destroyed communities and support groups online. It’s a real shame, as he’s also a visionary trying to improve our lives and create a pathway for us to grow. He does a huge amount of good, but by not taking care of how he’s using his words, he often comes across as a sultry teenager.

It’s incumbent on the PR industry to change the narrative and show the good their clients bring to the world. The extra value it gives to any brand is immeasurable.

I’m one of the few whose life falls into all three categories. The introspection means the responsibility can weigh heavily on me at times. None of us will always pick our words wisely. It’s impossible to do so. It is our duty to always try.

A Surprise Encounter

We decided we’d go out last week and have someone else do the cooking. We went to a lovely restaurant nearby called Yas Inn. My bacon sarnie and pint were lovely. They are also launching their new summer menu and a series of upcoming events. Added onto redecorating, they’ve certainly been busy. If you are in Didim this summer, pop in to this great place on Marina Road.

This wasn’t the highlight, though.

What is one meant to do when randomly bumping into another member of the University Of Hertfordshire massif? Order another pint, sit and chat for over three hours, and cover yourself and new-found friend with ink from your leaky fountain pen is, obviously, the correct answer.

Words flowed, and I certainly had an afternoon that will live long in the memory. It shows kindness and laughter in our words lead to positive experiences.

Genius Or Insanity?

A very good friend is releasing her next book later this month. I was fortunate enough to be given an advance copy.

Building The Beast brings together Grand Designs and a 30 year old, 24.5 tonne ex-Army truck. Many of us worry about moving house. Imagine what it’s like racing against time to convert a monster truck into your forever home, especially with some very laidback helpers and the ultimate deadline of being homeless. You can follow the ups and downs as Jacqueline, Mark and the awesome pawsome share the frustrations, and huge amount of laughter, that started with seeing a picture on the internet. Will they have a multi-wheeled home at the end?

There’s a pre-order offer, so jump in and grab this book. It’s superb. Scarily, having chatted to Jacqueline extensively, I’m not even sure this is the craziest thing herself and Mark have done!

We've Been Getting Around Too!

I’ve been writing short stories to submit to the amazing Sue Bavey’s “Not Marriage Material” anthology. If you want to submit something, please do. You can see my submissions and details about how to send your own entry by clicking below.

TTFN

MaxS and The Stray Army

P.S. If you’re planning your holidays, please put a trip to Didim on the west coast of Turkey on your list of possible destinations. It’s a place with a huge amount to offer. If you’re lucky, you’ll get to meet the stray dogs. If you’re unlucky, you’ll get to meet me!

A Life In Pubs

For centuries British social life has revolved around a place we call the Public House. I recently joined a group on Facebook called London Pubs (https://www.facebook.com/groups/mylondonpubs). It's an excellent resource with recommendations for pubs in London and a good balance of memory inducing stories and photos.

It's made me realise how this important part of British culture has had a profound effect on my life. I'm not talking about having a pint in every pub, although I may have supped a few beers in welcoming establishments in my time. I'm not even talking about running a bar. I've done that too. I'm focused more on major events in my life that happened to be in a pub. As will become clear, one person seems to be involved in all of them. It's probably because, before his retirement, he was arguably the best publican in London.

I've also left my mark on a few establishments in my time. There's a great pub in the Gulf Hotel in Bahrain called the Sherlock Holmes (https://www.gulfhotelbahrain.com/sherlock-holmes). It was my go to place to watch the rugby, play pool or darts, and eat some excellent food that always brought back memories of home. I left my mark when I finally departed Bahrain. I know for a long time afterwards there was a Saracens flag on the wall in what was christened Rugby Corner. There was also a mannequin behind the bar. Seeing it adorned with a fez and a Watford Football Club scarf still brings a smile to my face. It's been a few years since my last visit, but in my mind it's still there.

This blog isn't about that though. It's actually the starting point of how I became an author. There's no way he could have known at the time, but a birthday party in his pub planted the seed.

The pub in question was my Dad's regular when he worked in London. It's still there, so if you're in the area, pop into the Prince Regent on Marylebone High Street (https://www.theprinceregentw1.co.uk). It's where my story started. The landlord, who had such a profound effect on my life, was the best in London. Michael Tierney was well known and loved by everyone. When my Dad walked in the day after I'd been born, Michael handed over my first teddy bear. I was, clearly, always going to love pubs.

We used to go in regularly for food. The waiter, Harry, was amazing, always asking "what would sir like this evening?" I became addicted to prawn cocktail, much to the amusement of visiting American tourists who couldn't believe they were seeing a young child order food from an upside down menu pretending to be grown up.

For my fifth birthday, Michael had a surprise. Did he know he'd be lighting the fire to me becoming an author? Of course not, but it's a lovely thought. He had booked a children's author for my party. Violet Philpott gave a puppet show based on the characters in her book. I fell in love with Bandicoot And His Friends on the spot. I still have the signed copy she gave me that day. Michael had done something amazing. The kids had a great birthday party whilst the parents could relax and have a drink.

Michael remained a family friend through birthday parties at The Battleaxes in Radlett to hosting Mum's 40th birthday party with a few surprise celebrity guests. When he left the Prince Regent he reopened the Windsor Castle in Crawford Place. More important memories were on the way. It led to me driving a transit van filled with flowers into London before walking them through a packed Friday night bar to store them in the pub cellar. We had to, as my brother was having his wedding reception there the next day. Another red letter day in my life and Michael was a huge part of it. The Windsor Castle had a Thai restaurant upstairs. It was the perfect venue for a wonderful day. The wedding reception became even better as we mingled with regulars in the bar downstairs. One of the great days.

Seeing so many of the pubs I've visited on the London Pubs facebook page, ranging from Borough Market to South Norwood, from Fulham to Shepherd's Bush, and others beyond has brought back a lot of special memories. Even the ones with odd names such as the Elusive Camel in Victoria still raise a smile.

As we speak, the glue that holds British society together is losing its grip as pubs close at a rapid rate. A pub isn't just about having a pint. It's about the memories and tapestry of life. They, sometimes, even give the chance for a rugby-mad middle-aged Englishman to slide across the floor on his knees cheering as Johnny Wilkinson kicked THAT drop goal.

Pubs are about memories, friendship, and community. Long may they survive.

There's A Lot Going On

Those who follow our social media accounts will have seen it's been a busy couple of weeks. So much so we nearly forgot to celebrate a very important birthday. It's A Stray Dog's Life turned 2 on 28 February (we'd say the last day of February, but it's a leap year!). Thank you to everyone who has bought the book, left reviews, and voted for it to win awards. It's been an amazing and very emotional journey.

We were also invited back to take part in Daisy Lane Publishing's Inspire Series. It's a great video podcast with some very smart people. You can see the podcast by clicking the link below.

There's a lot more coming in the next few weeks, so keep your eyes peeled on our social media channels. Saying that, there are a few things going on in life away from writing. It may mean we go a little quiet in a few weeks time for a period. Don't worry. We'll be back and it will be with good news.

TTFN

MaxS and The Stray Army

PS. Don't forget you can still buy all the books and some merchandise from the website. There's also some very cool downloads of the dogs available too. Just click the tabs at the top of the page.

Welcome To 2024 and A Guide To Writing Press Releases

Welcome back and hello 2024. We must apologise for having taken an extended break. Sometimes, even for us, real life can get in the way.

There’s been a lot to organise over the past few weeks. At least it means the foundations are in place to make the rest of 2024 run smoothly. We can hear the whispers of “wishful thinking” already!

A big thank you to everyone who downloaded the free Stray Army calendar. The response was incredible. If you didn’t get yours, please drop us a line and we’ll send one straight over.

We mentioned how busy it’s been over the past few weeks. Two of the reasons will become clear over the coming weeks. For those who watched our first appearance on the Daisy Lane Publishing podcast, we have bad news for you. They invited us back. The episode will go live soon. Keep an eye on Daisy Lane Publishing’s YouTube channel and our social media channels so you don’t miss out on seeing the chat about how marketing can influence the books we write. As before, we had great fun recording the podcast. The support from everyone involved is amazing.

We’ve also been writing a short story that’s been submitted towards an anthology. The actual publication will come out next year, but submissions are also getting their own 15 minutes of fame when they go live on the amazing Sue Bavey's blog. Our submission, The Gameshow, will go live in the coming weeks. Again, keep your eye on our social media channels so you don’t miss out. It’s also well worth visiting Sue’s blog (https://suebaveycom.wordpress.com/) to see all the other submissions.

We’ve also been working on further books which should be available later in the year. There’s a wide variety of different genres coming, so there should be something for everybody. Don’t forget you can buy the current books from the website. Whilst you’re there, don’t forget to have a look at the Stray Army merchandise, too. We’re constantly adding new designs and products. We might even give a special mystery prize to the first person who can find me on the west coast of Turkey whilst they’re wearing some of the merchandise.

A Guide To Writing A Press Release

We promised we’d give you a guide on how to write a press release. We will not give you a template for two reasons. First, there are enough of them if you do a Google search as it is. Second, if your press release is the same as everyone else’s, it’s going to be boring and will fail.

The two key areas you are trying to address with a press release are that it is interesting to a journalist, and it contains the information they need to build a story. Don’t worry about not having everything you want to say in a press release. If you’ve made it interesting with enough information, a journalist will contact you if they need more. Once we’ve given you a guide into what should be in the content, we’ll also tell you some things you should, and more importantly, shouldn’t do.

A press release should always answer the key questions. Who? What? Where? When? How? and Why? If you’ve answered all those, you’ll have got your message across and the interesting parts without even trying. To show you how it works, we’re going to use the example of the press release we used to announce the publication of It’s A Stray Dog’s Life. It comes with a bit of a warning. We’d all love to announce our books prior to publication date (as we did with It’s A Stray Dog’s Life), but it isn’t always possible. If you’re self-publishing with Kindle Direct Publishing, it’s an impossibility with paperbacks and hardbacks. Don’t worry, your book sales aren’t dictated by pre-orders. Sales grow over time. Consistent messaging and marketing will create sales. A press release is just the first tool at your disposal.

The most important line you will write is the headline. It needs to grab a journalist as interesting. Otherwise, it’s in the bin before they read anymore. Always remember, they are incredibly busy with more deadlines in a week than most of us have in a lifetime. The version we’re showing you is the one we used for the English-speaking media in Turkey. It better highlights some key things you should have in your mind.

British Ex-Pat, Maximilian Sam, Publishes First Children’s Book.

The headline has given the immediate hook of being local and relevant, whilst announcing news. A journalist will read further as it fits the type of story they write about. It means you’re already 90% towards getting your story printed.

The first sentence should reinforce the headline whilst adding key information.

Local British Ex-Pat, Maximilian Sam, will publish his first children’s book, It’s A Stray Dog’s Life, about the stray dogs he looks after on 28 February.

We’ve given more substance to the story by telling a journalist we have a children’s book coming on 28 February, the title, the concept, and the audience. It’s taken two short sentences to create and describe a story the target journalist is likely to be interested in. You will notice this headline and the first sentence wouldn’t work for the media in Hertfordshire, for example. It’s difficult to be a British ex-pat in Watford! It’s why it’s important to identify your target journalists and make the headline and first sentence appeal to them. They’re the only parts of the press release you’ll need to change. For example, we changed the headline for the Hertfordshire media to:

University of Hertfordshire Alumni, Maximilian Sam, Publishes First Children’s Book.

Obviously, the start of the first sentence changed too. We’ve now made our press release relevant to our different target audience.

The rest of the press release is straightforward. The next paragraph you’ve already written. It’s the part most authors struggle with. It’s time for the back cover blurb. If you jotted down the idea for your book before you started writing it, then you’ve done all the hard work. The back cover blurb is highlighting your book idea in two or three sentences. It’s nowhere near as scary or difficult as people seem to think. You can, as we did here, add a quick description to the blurb.

Have you ever wondered what dogs are thinking when you look at them? Now you can find out, as Princess, Buster and Snowy share their adventures. It’s A Stray Dog’s Life follows the stray dogs as we get the chance to see their lives through their eyes.

We’ve used a description of the book. Why reinvent the wheel? Especially as our back cover blurb should be our ultimate selling pitch.

We’re now on the last part. Your quote. This is the opportunity to add personalisation and any snippets you haven’t included already. If you can use it to explain why you’ve written the book and how it’s different, then it’s job done.

Maximilian Sam said, "I look after several stray dogs in our area, giving them food and taking them on walks. I’ve been able to watch how they interact with each other and humans. It’s what gave me the idea for the book. I also wanted to create something that wasn't a picture book, but also not as grown up as Harry Potter, for example. As such, each chapter is 1,000 words long with seven chapters per dog. This makes it perfect for a week’s bedtime reading about each dog."

We’ve now explained why we can write about the stray dogs from a position of expertise, and why we wrote the book in a certain way.

We’ve given a journalist plenty of information and an opening if they’d like more. Everything is there to write a piece announcing your new book.

There’s one more important area to add. It should always be titled Note To Editors. this is where you can give your own background and contact details as it's the part journalists don't print. If you don't put it in the Notes To Editors you might find your email address and phone number printed too (I’ve seen it happen).

Maximilian Sam is the award-winning author of three books. He has spent his life travelling the world, living in 10 countries so far. He now splits his time between working, writing, and looking after stray animals. You can find out more about Max at www.maximiliansam.com . If you require further information, images of the front cover of the book, or a photo of Maximilian Sam, please email xxxx or call xxxx. You can also click the WeTransfer link to download images.

We’ve now given a little background on who you are and pointed the journalist towards further information. You can, of course, attach the book cover image and photo with the press release. Please be aware, many attachments won’t make it through the email server to the journalist and could mean they don’t get the press release at all. Embedding the images doesn’t work particularly well either. Pointing out in your email cover letter you can send the images either by email or through a reputable file sharing website is far more effective.

You can also add in other details throughout a press release. If you've won an award then mention you're an award-winning author. If you've hit the bestseller chart, mention it. You can also highlight where people can buy the book, but remember you don't want to limit where people will go to find it, so be careful unless you have a plan to limit it to a specific outlet. The best solution is to have a website and direct people there. You can also offer review copies of your book, if the publication writes book reviews and you are targeting the right person.

There are some other things to bear in mind. You can send out the same press release to 1,000 places, but don’t expect it to work unless it is targeted specifically at what the publications write about. Having a short list of the key titles will give you far more chance of success and help build a relationship with the journalists you’re likely to be in contact with for a long time. A great way of increasing the chances of success is to email or call the target journalist in advance with two sentences on your news story and asking if it would be of interest. They will invariably say yes, which means they are already looking for your press release, making you stand out in what is always a very busy news schedule.

Also, remember the red lines you must never cross. We’ll even come and knock on your door ourselves if you do!! Never telephone a journalist asking if they’ve received your press release. It’s the guaranteed way to make it hit the dustbin. Journalists are incredibly busy. Wasting their time asking if they’ve received your press release will annoy them. A lot. It’s the same as contacting them an hour before their deadline. Make sure you know the print deadlines of your core targets. Giving them time to see and write up your story is the only way it will appear. It doesn’t need to get lost in the dash for hitting the ultimate deadline. Finally, target who you are sending the press release to. It’s pointless sending it to the newsdesk of a national daily newspaper unless you are already very, very famous. It won’t usurp other stories. Think carefully about where it would be most effective and use your efforts there.

We hope this has been useful. It really isn’t rocket science. It takes some research and a touch of thought, but it isn’t as frightening as people seem to think.

Don’t forget to have a look at all the new merchandise, grab a couple of copies of the books, or drop us a line if you’d like a download of the calendar. You’ll see us soon on a video podcast, but until next time, bye for now.

MaxS and the Stray Army

A Year In Review

Another busy year with the Stray Army and some turtles

As we come towards the end of 2023, we decided to have a look back and remind ourselves that it's been another pretty impressive year. 2022 brought the first books and several awards. 2023 has been different, but there's still been a huge amount going on.

Stories Of A Stray came out in May. It's a series of short stories covering a range of fictional topics. In it you meet a range of characters from a spy to a chef, from a rugby player to a man called Dave. You win and lose the lottery, survive a global lockdown, sink a boat, and say an emotional farewell to an old friend. It's available to buy from Amazon and all good bookshops.

Things then took a slight detour from the books. We launched the Stray Army brand over the summer. You can now purchase everything from mugs to t-shirts, from baseball caps to lunchboxes. All are adorned with the Stray Army logo amid a variety of designs.

Things weren't getting any quieter. In November the MaxSam Group expanded even further. We now have MaxSam Communications as part of our stable. Not only can you now buy books and merchandise, but we have a full marketing service available too. It doesn't matter if you're a small business or a multi-national, we're here to help.

Finally, we've used our excellent relationship with WeTransfer.com to bring you a free calendar for 2024 featuring photos of the real life Stray Army. You can either print it off in any size you want, or download individual months to keep on your desktop. It's a good way to remember the animals every day in 2024.

Some Major Highlights

The year wouldn't be complete if we hadn't won at least one award. We were never going to repeat the success of 2022, and never made any effort to. We did however receive an award from the amazing Tweetables (more on them later). It was a moment that lit up the summer.

We've also had plenty of interviews and media coverage this year. We even turned our hand to our first love and became freelance journalists for a while. Here's a few of the articles and interviews we've appeared in this year. (click on the images to read the articles).

We were asked to put together an article for Voices Newspaper on our local village and beach. It's been a huge success, leading to many more visitors over the summer. In hindsight, maybe we should have kept our little piece of paradise a little quieter. The article had greater significance, as it brought back the love of all things media and PR which had waned a little in recent times.

Tinker also got in on the act with an exclusive, and expansive, interview with Snapshot! magazine. It's an excellent read so do click on the image to have a read if you haven't already.

There are many occassions where social media can be a beacon of hope with good things happening. A post on Twitter (or whatever it's called this week) gave us the chance to prove we suffer from a lifelong affliction. We're Watford fans. There is no cure. It's a difficult affliction as it comes with the occassional amazing high, but the majority of the time it involves raving like a loony on a podcast somewhere! DNSYE were looking for contributors for their blog. We have far too many years history in the area (it is where our heart lies after all). We've now done a few articles comparing the past with the present. It's great fun working with Peter, Justin, and Carlos.

We also broke new ground this year. It's A Stray Dog's Life was the subject of an academic review in a Turkish University journal. It felt incredibly special having the book reviewed by a foreign university, even if we're not sure we understood it all as there were some very long words!

We're proud to have been featured in this award winning blog in the past. As it hit its 18 month birthday we were invited along again to give an update on everything that had happened since our first interview. As always, it was great fun answering Jane's questions. It's well worth subscribing as she'll introduce you to some amazing authors.

We were also invited to be a guest on a podcast with Daisy Lane Publishing to talk about all things marketing. It was great fun and could have carried on for several days. It was fantastic to meet up with people and discuss how to market our books. We've tried to keep my face, and voice, out of most things, but we're sure you'll survive!

Local newspapers are something that we feel are hugely important and often overlooked. Lucy at The Ege Eye allowed us to write an article all about the turtles that hatched on our beach this summer. It was a crazy time as 229 little babies hatched between the two nests. It helped bring a community together in a way only Mother Nature can.

The highlight of the summer was the article on the children from our local beach who'd done so much to help with the turtles. They received certificates and gained a few minutes of fame. It was the least they deserved.

There were more highlights throughout the year, but it's probably best to leave them to another day.

It's been a strange year on a personal level. I've certainly ended up spending even more time with the stray animals (if it were possible), but also ended up making some amazing new friends. Who'd have thought I'd spend a couple of weeks over the summer with our new neighbours talking about Saudi Arabia. They also, very kindly, bought me a fountain pen for my birthday. Their daughter has also become the biggest fan of the books. They made it an extra special summer.

Our 2023 Book Recommendations

We've read many books this year, but 3 independently published ones really caught our eye. We can highly recommend each of them. If you click on the images it will take you to each author's website. In no particular order, here they are.

Jackie's escapades driving around Europe in The Beast with 4 dogs and her husband are an absolute delight. You'll feel as though you've been transported to the places they've visited and have plenty of laughs along the way.

This is our favourite fiction book of the year. It's clever, sad, and funny. Gary does an amazing job of taking you on a journey where one decision can change so many lives.

You may have seen our 5 star review of Sue's first book, Lucky Jack, about her grandfather. This time she uses letters and stories about her mother to bring an amazing person to life for all of us. The emotions and amusing scrapes involved in moving to the other side of the world after World War 2 are incredible and resonate with strays like us.

Obviously, Stories From A Stray would be in there, but it seems a tad unfair to shout about our own book!

Coming in 2024

2024 promises to be another busy year. There will be a business advice book under my real name of C.J. Evans, more from the Stray Army, and a memoir about our travels around the world. We'll also be keeping up to date with the regular blog including hints and tips on marketing. There's are bound to be a few surprises too. Who knows, there might even be some more turtles!

Until then, don't forget to download your free 2024 Stray Army Calendar.

We wish you all happy holidays and a wonderful and successful 2024.

See you on the other side,

MaxS and The Stray Army

P.S. Don't forget you can join our ranks by purchasing books, merchandise, and downloads from the website. You can also subscribe, so you're first to know any news. There will never be a charge for subscribing to the site. We will try to give a few exclusive giveaways to our subscribers and members too.