Robin Storey's Blog, page 4
January 31, 2021
When She Was Good Michael Robotham Review
When She Was Good by Michael Robotham was published on 28 July 2020 by Scribner.
It’s the second in his crime series about brilliant but damaged forensic psychologist Cyrus Haven and his equally brilliant and damaged protégé Evie Cormac.
If you’re a fan of crime thrillers and you’ve never read any of Robotham’s books, you’re in for a treat.
This book was an international bestseller upon publication, which is not surprising, as When She Was Good is Robotham’s fifteenth novel.
He's won a slew of awards and has a legion of fans all over the world.
Here are some rave reviews:
‘Robotham delves into some very (very) dark territory, and the horror steadily mounts...Readers will be putty in this supremely talented author's capable hands. An urgent, poignant and terrifying thriller. More please. ’ (Kirkus Reviews)
‘Robotham doesn't just make me scared for his characters, he makes my heart ache for them.' (Crime author Linwood Barclay)
‘Twisty...fans of grim psychological suspense will be rewarded.’ (Publishers Weekly)When She Was Good Synopsis
Six years ago, Evie Cormac was found hiding in a secret room in the aftermath of a brutal murder.
But nobody has ever discovered her real name or where she came from, because everybody who tries ends up dead.
Forensic psychologist Cyrus Haven believes the truth will set Evie free.
Ignoring her warnings, he begins to dig into her past, only to disturb a hornet's nest of corrupt and powerful people, who have been waiting to find Evie - the final witness to their crimes.
I’ve read a number of Robotham’s books from when he published his first one in 2004, and he is one author who keeps getting better and better.
The story takes place in current times and was published in July 2020, when the Covid-19 crisis was well under way.
However, he was quoted as saying he’d already finished the book by the time Covid had taken hold, and to include it as background in the book to bring it in line with real life would have meant a total re-write.
In this book, Robotham achieves what I believe is the ultimate in crime thrillers – a compelling plot and captivating characters. Neither is sacrificed for the other.
He draws you in right from the first page, the suspense unfolding at just the right pace.
His descriptions are eloquent but succinct, important for a crime novel so they don’t slow the pace of the story. Here are some examples –.
‘Fishermen, mostly, with hands as gnarled as knobs of ginger and eyes that squinted into brightness when there was no sun.’
‘Frown lines write bold headlines on Lenny’s forehead. It’s her tabloid face, full of shock and awe.’
Cyrus describing getting a tattoo:
‘My skin crawls. My skin screams. My skin bleeds. Each prick of the needle creates an odd sensation, a mixture of pleasure and pain…the needle is my escape and my salvation. The needle turns art into suffering and suffering into art and speaks to nobody except me.’
Captivating CharactersIt’s the characters that elevate this book above other crime thrillers.
Both Cyrus and Evie are complex characters, superbly portrayed in such a way to create empathy in the reader.
The book is written from alternating points of view, so we get to live inside both their heads.
Cyrus is emotionally damaged from a childhood trauma ( I won’t say what, as that would be a spoiler) and has a few habits that are definitely OCD.
But he is brilliant and brave and determined to help Evie, with whom he has formed a strong, if volatile bond.
She’s cynical, brave, vulnerable, stubborn and funny.
Her scathing humour provides light relief from the psychologically dark terrain of the story.
‘We’re giving back to the community,’ says Davina, who is chaperoning us for the day.
‘What did we take?’ I ask.
‘Nothing. We’re being nice to old people.’
‘And by nice, you mean?’
‘You should talk to them.’
‘What about?’
‘Anything.’
‘Dying?’
‘Don’t be cruel.’
I wrinkle my nose. ‘What’s that smell?’
‘I can’t smell anything.’
‘Colostomy bags and pot pourri. Eau de grandma.’
About Author Michael Robotham [image error]
Author of When She Was Good Michael Robotham
Two times Gold Dagger award winner, Michael Robotham began his writing career as an investigative journalist working across Britain, Australia and America.
Later he became a ghostwriter, collaborating on 15 'autobiographies' for politicians, pop stars, soldiers and adventurers.
Twelve of these books became Sunday Times bestsellers.
Robotham’s haunting psychological thrillers have been translated into 25 languages and his Joe O'Loughlin series is currently in development for TV by World Productions.
A six-part TV series based upon his standalone novel THE SECRETS SHE KEEPS was aired on BBC1 in 2020.
Two seems to be his lucky number. He has twice won the prestigious CWA Gold Dagger for GOOD GIRL BAD GIRL (2020), the first in the Cyrus Haven series, and LIFE OR DEATH (2015).
He has also twice been shortlisted for the Edgar Award for crime fiction in the US, twice won the Ned Kelly Award for Australia's Crime Novel of the Year, and twice been shortlisted for the CWA Steel Dagger.
Michael lives in Sydney with his wife and a diminishing number of dependent daughters.
(Amazon bio, altered slightly).
Michael Robotham InterviewsHere’s a written question and answer interview with him about his creativity and writing process.
Michael Robotham On YoutubeIn this YouTube interview, Robotham talks about his Joe O’Loughlin series, whose much loved main character is a psychologist with Parkinson’s disease.
When She Was Good Review ConclusionI couldn’t fault this book.
It stays with you well after you’ve finished reading it and to my mind, there’s no higher praise.
Read more of Robin's thriller fiction reviews here. For more memoir, self-development and other book reviews, click here.
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November 24, 2020
This Is Going To Hurt Adam Kay Review
This is Going to Hurt – Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor by Adam Kay was published in 2017 by Picador.
It’s an account of the author’s years as a junior doctor undergoing his training at hospitals under the National Health Service in London.
This memoir was an instant Sunday Times #1 bestseller upon publication and has sold over 1.5 million copies worldwide.
It won four UK national book awards, including Book of the Year.
‘Painfully funny. The pain and the funniness somehow add up to something entirely good, entirely noble, and entirely lovable.’ (Stephen Fry, actor and author)
‘Hilarious and heartbreaking...I howled, yelped, and occasionally choked with laughter...This book may hurt, but in an important and necessary way.' (Cathy Rentzenbrink, The Times (London))
‘This book is heartbreaking, hilarious and truly important. I believe in its humanity, its spirit and its conscience. The best doctor's visit you will ever have.’ (Rose McGowan, actress, activist, and New York Times bestselling author of Brave)This Is Going To Hurt Synopsis
The inside cover blurb sums it up well:
Welcome to 97-hour weeks. Welcome to life and death decisions. Welcome to a constant tsunami of bodily fluids. Welcome to earning less than the hospital parking meter. Wave goodbye to your friends and relationships. Welcome to the life of a junior doctor.'Kay starts his story after his first 6 years of medical studies.
Most of the book is written in diary fashion, as the events are taken directly from the diary entries he made while on the job.
He chronicles not only the interesting and sometimes mind-boggling cases he is presented with, but also how the long hours, lack of sleep and sheer volume of work affects his emotions, mental health and relationships.
Although the book is not politically motivated, it is, in its very nature, a scathing indictment of how doctors are treated in the UK National Health Service.
Adam Kay's Writing StyleBecause the book is written in diary form, the style of writing is conversational and easy to read.
Kay pulls no punches expressing his thoughts and opinions, which results in the occasional four-letter word, so you’ve been warned if that offends you.
Many of the patients’ stories are both heart-breaking and hilarious, and Kay knows how to portray both at the same time without overdoing it.
He has a clever, sardonically amusing turn of phrase – I laughed out loud in several places - and his comedic timing is perfect. (That probably explains why he is now a comedy script writer).
‘Discharging a patient home after a laparoscopy, I sign her off work for two weeks. She offers me a tenner to sign her off for a month…I clearly need to dress smarter if that’s the level of bribe I’m attracting.’
‘In an antenatal clinic, an extremely posh patient attends for a routine appointment… Her extremely posh eight-year-old asks her a question about the economy and before she answers, she asks her extremely posh five-year-old, ’Do you know what the economy is, darling?.’
'Yes mummy, it's the part of the plane that's terrible'
'You can see how revolutions start'
‘ In the labour ward dressing rooms after a long shift. (which included a major obstetric haemorrhage). I’m meant to be going to a Halloween Party, but now I don’t have time to go home and pick up my costume. However, I am currently dressed in scrubs and splattered head to toe in blood. Would it be so wrong? '
Some stories are just plain jaw-dropping (I’m amazed at the variety of objects that seemingly normal people insert into their bodily orifices).
Others are gory and stomach-churning, so I wouldn’t recommend you read the book while eating
Kay also includes handy footnotes to explain medical scenarios or terminology, accompanied by his own witticisms.
For example:
‘PV is a per vagina examination. PR is a per rectum examination, so always clarify when someone tells you they work in PR.’
‘Curry can’t induce labour. Nor can pineapple. Not can sex. There is no scientific evidence for these three perennial old wives’ tales. I presume they were dreamt up by the inventor of the pineapple madras when he was horny’
About Author Adam Kay [image error]Author Of This Is Going To Hurt Adam Kay
Adam Kay was born in 1980 in Brighton in the UK.
He grew up in a Jewish household with his sister Sophie and as his father was a doctor, studying medicine was a default decision.
He is of Polish descent, his original name being Strykowski.
As he explains in the book, it’s pronounced ‘Strike-off-ski,’ which is not the most suitable name for a doctor.
It seems that comedy and writing were always going to be his future.
While at University he founded the musical comedy group Amateur Transplants and wrote for BBC Radio 4.
In 2010 Kay left the medical profession, after a traumatic experience that he recounts in the book.
He is now a comedy script writer and editor – a lot less pressure and much more enjoyment, I suspect, and he’s now saving lives by making people laugh.
He’s written scripts for shows such as Mrs Brown’s Boys, Crims and Mitchell and Webb.
This is Going to Hurt is being developed as a series for BBC Two Television, with Kay as the scriptwriter and Ben Whishaw in the lead role.
He also tours with his highly acclaimed standup show.
Kay lives in London with his partner James Farrell.
Adam Kay InterviewsHere’s an interview with Kay in the Guardian about This is Going to Hurt. The interviewer is Hannah Beckerman.
[image error]Photo above courtesy of Andy Hall.
Adam Kay On Youtube/TVKay talks about his time as a junior doctor in this TV interview on This Morning.
This Is Going To Hurt Review Conclusion
I highly recommend this book. It’s had over 21 000 ratings on Amazon, with an average 4.5 stars (out of 5) rating. They can’t all be wrong!
I defy anyone to read it and not be moved, amused and horrified all at the same time.
And you’ll learn lots of interesting medical facts as well. (Unless you’re a doctor and already know them, in which case it will be good revision). This Is Going To Hurt [image error] Buy On Amazon Now! Other Books By Adam KayTwas The Night Before Christmas [image error] Kay's Anatomy
Read more of Robin's memoir reviews here. For more fiction book reviews, click here.
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September 13, 2020
The 5 Second Rule Mel Robbins Review
The 5 Second Rule: Transform Your Life, Work and Confidence with Everyday Courage by Mel Robbins was published in 2017 by Savio Republic.
As is obvious from the title, this is a personal development book, and being the self-development junkie that I am, I just had to include it in my non-fiction book reviews.
I usually get a few nuggets of gold from each book I read, even if it’s just reminding me of things I’ve forgotten or reframing ideas in a different way.
Many concepts in this book are not new, but Robbins has a unique and very practical approach.The 5 Second Rule By Mel Robbins [image error] Rave Reviews For The 5 Second RuleThis book became an international best seller when published in February 2017, breaking self-publishing records.
It was named the #1 audiobook in the world and the fifth most read book of the year on Amazon.
‘This book is going to make you take action and make a positive change in your life…it makes you think differently, it makes you think bigger.’ (Ally Saunders, Life Progression Project)
‘Personal development books run the gamut from being preachy to overly scientific. The 5 Second Rule is a happy medium that gives just enough research and solid psychological information to create trust in the process and explain what you need to know about how it works.' (Sassy, Healthy Fit)
‘The gist of the book can be summed up pretty quickly. What makes it worth reading are the stories Mel Robbins shares in the book. Millions of people have used this simple technique to make major life changes.’ (Stay At Home Fit)The 5 Second Rule Synopsis
The 5 Second Rule is essentially a tool to stop your brain sabotaging you from achieving your full potential.
Our brain is hard-wired to protect us from danger, which means it will naturally gravitate to the negative rather than the positive.
The 5 Second rule is simple – when you feel yourself procrastinating or talking yourself out of doing something you should or want to do, you count backwards to yourself – 5 – 4 – 3 – 2 – 1.
This is just long enough to distract the brain, which is being controlled by emotion, and flip the switch back to the pre-frontal cortex.
This part of the brain is responsible for concentration, planning and problem solving, enabling us to begin our task straight away.
It’s interesting how this works – it’s like a countdown to a rocket blasting off.
Robbins explains how you can use this strategy to manage anxiety and fears.
It helps you to break the habits of waiting, doubting, holding back, wasting time, staying silent, feeling insecure, avoiding, worrying and overthinking.
Robbins writes in a down-to-earth, conversational style, which makes the book easy to read.
She has done many years of research into the scientific and neurological principles behind the working of our brains and how and why the 5 second rule works.
But it’s all explained in an easy to digest manner.
Motivation is Garbage
In the process, she debunks many self-help myths. For example:‘Forget motivation; it’s a myth.
I don’t know when we all bought into the idea that in order to change you must “feel” eager or “feel” motivated to act.
It’s complete garbage. The moment it’s time to assert yourself, you will not feel motivated.
If you want to improve your life, you’ll need to get off your rear end and kick your own butt.’
We’ve all been told a million times before that nothing will happen until we get our butts into gear.
But it’s illuminating to acknowledge that it’s pointless waiting for motivation.
We’re never going to feel like it and we have to constantly push ourselves into action, even to do something we love.
The book is written from a personal point of view; Robbins formulating the 5 second rule when her life was a mess and everything was falling apart.
As she says, ‘And by everything, I mean everything: my marriage, finances, career and self-esteem were all in the gutter.’
She started by using the process to get herself out of bed on time in the morning instead of hitting the snooze button.
Gradually she got her life back on track by applying the 5 second rule to all other facets of her life.
She gives an honest and candid account of this, which creates empathy and connection with the reader, and the sense that ‘if she can do it, so can I.’
After all, we’ve all been there!.
My only criticism is that Robbins repeats herself a lot, which does become tiresome.
But this is common in personal development books, and I guess the upside is that she really hammers the points home and you don’t forget them.
The book ends on a positive, uplifting note with a final quote: ‘The moment you have an instinct to act on a goal, you must 5 – 4 – 3 – 2 – 1 and physically move, or your brain will stop you.’
And there’s a bonus. Robbins invites you to visit her website https://melrobbins.com/31sessions/ and sign up for 31 days free mentoring.
This consists of daily links to 31 short YouTube videos on different aspects of the 5 second rule.
This is worth doing, as Robbins is an engaging speaker and she covers topics not discussed in the book.
Mel Robbins Author of The 5 Second Rule
Mel Robbins was born in 1968 in Kansas City, Missouri in the US.
She began her working life as an Ivy League educated criminal defence attorney, and has since become an entrepreneur, life coach, sought-after commentator on TV shows such as Dr Phil and Oprah.
She is an internationally recognised speaker, TV presenter of syndicated talk show The Mel Robbins Show (which has been cancelled), and best-selling author.
Her Ted-x talk How to Stop Screwing Yourself Over is one of the most popular of all time, with over 18 million views.
[image error] Other Books By Mel RobbinsRobbins’ first book Stop Saying You’re Fine – The No B.S. Guide To Getting What You Want was published in 2012.
It was a best seller on how to stop procrastinating and achieve your goals by using the latest neuroscience research.
To accompany The 5 Second Rule, she has also created a journal called The 5 Second Journal.
This journal guides you through a daily journalling method to help you put into practice the strategies in the book.
To learn more about Robbins, her books, videos and courses, go to her website. https://melrobbins.com/
If you’re into self-development, I guarantee you’ll find some worthwhile gems of information and inspiration.
But don’t expect to find motivation.
To live the life we dream of, we have to constantly push ourselves outside our comfort zone – and we’re never motivated to do that!
As Robbins says, ‘You’re never going to feel like it!’
The 5 Second Rule [image error] Buy On Amazon Now! Other Books By Mel RobbinsWork It OutAudible [image error] Stop Saying You're Fine
Read more of Robin's personal development reviews here. For fiction reviews, click here.
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August 24, 2020
5 Steps To Finding The Perfect Ghostwriter
What are the 5 steps to finding the perfect ghostwriter?
I'm glad you asked, because I happen to have the answers for you right here.
5 Steps For Finding The Perfect Ghostwriter
1. Look For Your Ghostwriter2. Discuss Your Project3. Find Out The Cost4. Ask The Ghostwriter About Their Process5. Ask To See Samples And Testimonials6. Bonus Tip - Let Me Write It For You
1. Look For Your Ghostwriter
Sounds obvious, but there are a number of ways you can do this.
GoogleType ‘ghostwriter,' the type of book you want written and the name of your town or city into the Google search bar and see who comes up.
For example, 'ghostwriter life stories Sydney.'
Ghostwriters write in a variety of fields, from blog posts to novels, and most specialise in particular areas.
So you want to make sure you find a writer who specialises in the type of story you want written.
If you want to work with someone face to face, you’ll need to find a ghostwriter in your area.
This may be a challenge, given that ghostwriters are not nearly as common a breed as other writers, such as freelance writers or copywriters.
Type the same search term that you put into Google into the search bar of Facebook. Put a call out on Twitter with a ‘ghostwriter’ hashtag, or search on LinkedIn.
Here’s my profile on LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/in/robinstoreyauthor
Some ghostwriters have a presence on Youtube. Here’s my YouTube channel.
There are some sites that curate professional writers in various fields, eg Reedsy. https://reedsy.com/ghostwriting/book-ghostwriter
Some writer’s organisations provide a list of ghostwriters, eg the Australian Society of Authors.
Life Stories Australia also has a list of ghostwriters.
https://lifestoriesaustralia.com.au/our-members/
Personal recommendation.
Put the call out among friends and family, and make use of their social networks.
It’s surprising who people know. Word of mouth is a powerful tool - a ‘friend of a friend’ or a similar relationship can often lead to a referral.
Once you’ve found a ghostwriter who seems suitable - and if you can find more than one, even better, so you can do comparisons - contact them and discuss your project.
Most ghostwriters offer a free initial consultation so you can both ascertain if you’re a good fit for each other.
If you can’t meet them in person, arrange a video chat. This will enable you to get a better feel for the writer’s personality.
Be clear about your aims.
How many words do you envisage your story will be?
Full-length life stories are usually between 50 000 to 60 000 words. Memoirs, covering only a portion of your life, are often shorter.
Do you want to submit it to traditional publishers, or do you want to publish it yourself?
Or do you just want it for family?
If it’s a memoir, be clear about the specific time period in which it takes place.
Tell the ghostwriter about any information/documentation you already have or research you’ve done.
Most ghostwriters will be able to give you a ballpark figure, or at least a range, eg between $20,000 and $25,000 once they’ve got a good idea of the type and length of your story.
This is the most important information to get upfront, because there’s no point continuing the conversation if their fees are above your budget.
Ghostwriting is a specialised craft that requires a lot of time and expertise, and most professional ghostwriters won’t charge any less than $15,000.
My fees for a full length life story range between $20,000 and $25,000. To see more about what ghostwriters do go here.
Ask the ghostwriter how they want the fees paid.
This varies from writer to writer, but most will require a deposit of 50% upfront.
Some are happy with the rest paid upon completion, others require more part-payments along the way.
Ghostwriters work to a particular process and it’s important to know what their process is so you know what to expect. The basic process is:
Create an outline and structure of the story in conjunction with the clientGathering of information via interviews, research etc Writing first draftClient review, marking changes to be madeWriting second draft with requested changesClient review again for final approvalManuscript sent to professional proofreaderThis process will often vary with each ghostwriter.
For example, some don’t include proofreading as part of their service.
I always do, as I like to present my client with a clean manuscript that’s ready to present to a publisher.
This can be a challenge, as ghostwriters are often required to sign a non-disclosure agreement when they take on a project, which prohibits them from publicly identifying as the author.
It’s not the case for every book and they may still be able to show you books they have ghostwritten where their writing has been acknowledged.
If not, they should have other samples, such as books they’ve written under their own names, short stories, articles or blog posts.
Not all ghostwriters will agree to it and of course, you’ll need to pay for it.
But it’s one way of making sure that you have the right person for the job.
Book a Free, No-Obligation Consultation Today!
Click the button below to find out more about having your story ghostwritten and to book an appointment with me.
book now
Did the 5 steps to finding the perfect ghostwriter answer some of your questions?
If so, and you want to know more about my ghostwriting services, including mentoring, click here. https://www.storey-lines.com/ghostwriter-life-story/
Enter your name and email address as directed and I will contact you within 24 hours to discuss how I can help you.
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August 11, 2020
Breaking Dad James Lubbock Review
Breaking Dad – How my mild-mannered father became Britain’s biggest meth dealer – by James Lubbock was published by Mirror Books in 2019.
It’s a true crime memoir, the title derivative of the acclaimed TV series Breaking Bad, about science teacher Walter White who starts a business manufacturing and selling methamphetamines.
There is a similarity in the stories, in that both Walter White and Richard Lubbock, the author’s father, were ordinary, law-abiding citizens with no criminal past or connections before they became involved in the drug trade.
But that’s where the similarity ends. There’s one major difference between the two.
Breaking Bad is fiction. Breaking Dad is a true story.
This novel is almost a case of art imitating life imitating art, and the critics love it.
Here’s what a few of them had to say:
‘Real people, real emotions, bad decisions… you’ll look at the headlines differently from now on, and with much more understanding for the person behind the headline and his family.’ (The Belgian Reviewer)
‘So if you’re looking for a bloody good read, something that you can really get your teeth stuck into, then Breaking Dad is the book for you. Just make sure you sit down to read at a reasonable time because you really won’t want to put this book down.' (It's All About The Books)
‘It’s an extraordinary tale. What’s also astonishing, and moving, is the good-humoured way it is told by his son…the highs and lows of Richard’s journey are laid bare with excruciating candour.’ (Roman Road London)Breaking Dad Synopsis
James Lubbock is the only child in a respectable Jewish middle-class family living in London.
His father Richard is a successful coin dealer, and at the time this story starts his parents have been separated for a few years.
James is a geeky, insecure University student when his father decides to trade in coin dealing for drug dealing.
Once James has come to terms with his father’s extraordinary change of life, the question is, will he be able to rescue his Dad or will he be dragged down with him?
There are further revelations that shock James, but I don’t want to expound any further and spoil the surprise for the reader.
The author of the book is attributed on the cover as James Lubbock with Warren Fitzgerald.
Under normal circumstances this would mean that Warren Fitzgerald was the ghostwriter, and wrote the book for James Lubbock, in his voice.
However, reading the comments in the Acknowledgments, it appears that Warren is a personal friend of the author, and it may well be that it was more of a collaborative effort, in that they both wrote the book.
However it was done, I’ll refer to the writing style as James’s, for ease of reference.
The book is written in an easy-to-read, engaging style – witty and laugh-out-loud in places, with a frank, often self-deprecating humour:
Here’s James talking about his inexperience with women:
‘I was living opposite an actual girl. What an opportunity, assuming she was my type, of course. Like I had a choice! Let’s face it, if she was breathing, she was my type.’
Waiting for his first date from an internet dating site:
‘I sat in the bar nervously waiting for her to arrive, trying out various poses on the low-slung couches the bar was furnished with, wondering if this red lighting brought my zits out more or just homogenised all the blemishes into a smooth-looking scarlet.’
Pondering not only himself, but her too:
‘My nerves, however, were not so much for my posture or complexion but for whether Vicki, given that she had only sent photos of herself from the waist up, was going to trundle in on a Dalek’s lower half, like a female Davros. Clearly I’d been watching too many Dr Who re-runs….’
Empathy And PathosBut the humour doesn’t overshadow the pathos of the situation, and we feel empathy for James as he is forced to grow up pretty quickly.
Richard is using drugs himself as well as selling them, and his health deteriorates.
James is transformed from a carefree student who is still trying to find his way in the world, to an adult who feels a huge weight of worry and responsibility for his father.
After a father-son holiday, during which Richard spends most of his time coming down off drugs, he sends James a text message of apology:
‘ You always hurt the ones you love the most.
You do, Dad. You do.’
A phone call from Richard after he is arrested:
‘ I am so sorry. For everything. And I love you.’
Pulling those three words out of himself seemed to unblock something in him and his tears came pouring down the line. He was a gibbering mess, but at least now he was a mess that I recognised.’I Really Didn't Want To Know That
‘Excruciating candour,’ as described in the above review by Roman Road London sums it up perfectly.
Sometimes I cringed at the revelations, particularly as I imagined what it must be like for a son to discover certain paternal proclivities.
This story really does prove the cliché that fact is stranger than fiction.
Some of the events are so bizarre that you think you’re reading a novel – or a gossip magazine!
And one of the most astonishing situations of all is that Richard Lubbock managed to carry on his criminal activities for 10 years before he was apprehended.
When he was arrested in 2009 with the biggest haul of crystal meth seen in the country, it made the national headlines in Britain.
But the lifestyle had taken its toll on him and he told James he was relieved it was finally over.
I don’t think it would be too much of a spoiler for me to reveal that the story has a happy ending.
With the advantage of hindsight, Richard was able to acknowledge what an aberration his years as a ‘drug baron’ were.
He was sentenced to eight years prison and served four.
Since his release in 2013, he has led a quiet, law-abiding life and enjoys a close relationship with his son, daughter-in-law and two grandchildren.
James Lubbock Author Breaking Dad With His Dad
Photo courtesy of the mirror.co.uk
Born in 1978, James Lubbock is now a computer software specialist, residing in London with his wife and two daughters.
Breaking Dad is his only book. In an interview with Express, he says that his motivation for writing the book was so that his daughters would know the full story.
‘It was an irresponsible, terrible thing my dad did, but the book is really a story about how things can go totally wrong and how they can be fixed and put right. That, I hope, is the message I am trying to get across.’
James Lubbock InterviewsHere’s an interview with James about the book on BBC Outlook.
[image error]And an article in The Sun about Richard’s notorious career.
[image error] Breaking Dad Review ConclusionI highly recommend this book if you like true crime or memoirs.
It’s entertaining, humorous and poignant.
I find the concept of ‘respectable businessman turns drug dealer’ fascinating, and when I’d finished reading the book, I couldn’t help doing more research on Richard Lubbock.
But I still didn’t find the answer to the one question that resonates throughout the book and that it didn’t satisfactorily answer.
Why did he do it?
Read more of Robin's true crime book review here an for fiction reviews, click here.
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July 8, 2020
Pretty Things Janelle Brown Review
Pretty Things by Janelle Brown was published in April 2020 by Penguin Random House.
It’s a brilliantly written novel that sits in both the crime and suspense categories. To my mind, you can have a suspense novel without crime, but you can’t have a crime novel without suspense.
This novel is a recent publication, but has already garnered over 7000 ratings on Goodreads and outstanding reviews from critics.
Here’s a sample:
‘Pretty Things is awesome. Simple as that. I loved every page.’ (Crime author Harlan Coben)
‘Impossible to put down, Pretty Things is smart, seductive, and utterly captivating.' (PopSugar)
‘Full of tantalizing twists and shocking deceptions, this is an intelligent social commentary that is also deliciously fun to read.’ (The Week)
‘Fiendishly clever.’ (Kirkus Reviews)Pretty Things Synopsis
Two wildly different women – Nina, a con artist and Vanessa, a self-absorbed heiress – are brought together when Nina and her boyfriend Lachlan carry out the scam of a lifetime.
Nina learned from the best – her mother is a scammer, the only way she knows to try and give her daughter the best life she can.
When she becomes ill, Nina pulls out all stops to get the money for her treatment, planning her most daring swindle yet.
Vanessa is a privileged rich kid whose life is lived on social media.
An Instagram influencer, she leads a life of travelling, modelling and hobnobbing with the glitterati.
But underneath the façade her life is marked by tragedy.
After a broken engagement she retreats to the mansion on her family estate on the shores of Lake Tahoe in California.
Brown’s writing style is flowing and easy to read. She does description well – succinct, with perfect cadence.
For example, the first line of the book:
‘The nightclub is a temple, devoted to the sacred worship of indulgence.’
And later, as Nina is driving into Tahoe:
‘Those lights, the way they dance like spirits in the wind-tossed trees. The mist, the way it reflects diamonds in our headlights. Something magical is here in this grove; all the possibility of my past youth gathering here again, feelings I’d along ago forgotten.’
The story is written from the alternating points of view of Nina and Vanessa, a few chapters of each before switching, which is an effective way of allowing you to get inside their skin.
There are two exceptions – the opening chapter and the climax of the story are written in third person omniscient, which gives you an objective, bird’s eye view of the most important parts of the story.
Each of the narrators, Nina and Vanessa, has a very distinctive voice. Vanessa’s voice is exactly the same as her over the top social media posts.
‘I'm as wired as a teenager on Ritalin, wound up by the prospect of human interaction (Giddy!, Practically bouyant!).’
But there are dark undertones:
‘How many times have I stood and chirped giddily at the camera, flipping my hair around like I’m in front of an industrial fan and grinning like a circus emcee, when inside all I wanted to do was drink a bottle of Drano?’
Nina has a more cynical tone of voice, often verging on bitter. This is how she sees Vanessa:
‘Her squeal of faux excitement makes me cringe. Good grief, I think, nothing about this woman is sincere.’
And the fact that the differences in their upbringing come down to circumstances of birth is a constant aggravation
‘For most people not born into privilege, the playing field is a steep incline and you are at the bottom with boulders tied to your ankles.’
But to offset her cynicism, Nina has a pithy sense of humour.
Referring to Lachlan:
‘I’m surprised the treacle in his voice isn’t sending Vanessa into diabetic shock.’
Referring to Vanessa’s mother:
‘I felt like roadkill in her gaze, frozen in place, somehow compelled to stand there forever until she ran over me entirely.’
When you see each character through the other’s eyes, they’re not flattering. But Brown is excellent at fostering empathy.
Once you switch to the other’s point of view, you’re privy to their frailties and vulnerabilities and can understand why they act the way they do.
It becomes apparent as the story progresses that although their lives are very disparate, Nina and Vanessa have much in common.
They both suffer from feelings of inadequacy and are holding on to hurt and grief they’ve never come to terms with.
The plot keeps you engrossed with its many twists and turns, not so much from the action as from the psychology of the characters. It’s a story of secrets and lies and shocking revelations.
It’s also an excellent satire on social media and how it distorts reality, as seen through Nina’s eyes.‘It’s easiest to judge from a distance. That’s why the internet has turned us all into armchair critics, experts at the cold dissection of gesture and syllable, sneering self-righteously from the safety of our screens.’
‘On social media it's all or nothing: lavish praise or appalled outrage; sycophants or trolls. Caption-and-comment culture in all its brevity leaves out the middle ground, where most of life is found.’
About Author Janelle Brown [image error]Janelle Brown Author Of Pretty Things
Brown was born in 1973 in Palo Alto, California.
‘I’ve known I wanted to be a novelist ever since first grade,’ she says. This was when she started writing and making her own books.
However, as often happens with authors, she took the circuitous route. After graduating from the University of California, Berkely, she became an essayist and journalist for a number of prestigious publications before publishing her first book.
Brown lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two children.Janelle Brown InterviewsOn the Amazon Book Review blog she discusses her inspiration and writing process for Pretty Things. Interview with Chris Schluep.
[image error]Photo above courtesy of Penguin Books Australia.
Janelle Brown On YoutubeHere’s an interview with Brown at the Schaumburg Library in Illinois about Pretty Things.
Pretty Things Review Conclusion
If you enjoy twisty psychological plots and complex, unpredictable characters with an undertone of satire, you’ll love this book.
Brown is currently writing her fifth novel, which I look forward to reading. Meanwhile I’m going to catch up on her previous books. Pretty Things [image error] Buy On Amazon Now! Other Books By Janelle BrownWatch Me Disappear [image error] This Is Where We Live
Read more of Robin's fiction book reviews here. For non-fiction reviews, click here.
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June 8, 2020
The Stranger Beside Me Ann Rule Review
The Stranger Beside Me by Ann Rule was first published in 1980 by W.W. Norton and Company.
Revisions of the book, with updates by the author, were published in 1986, 1989, 2000 and 2008.
It's in the same mould as In Cold Blood, by Truman Capote
True Crime Classics
When "In Cold Blood" was first published in 1966, it defined what was to become the modern true crime genre.
In this story about the murders of four family members in a rural community in Kansas, Capote examined the viewpoints of the victims, the killers and the investigators.
This made for a more interesting, well-rounded and thought-provoking narrative.
It also provided some insight into how and why the murders were committed.
The Stranger Beside Me is unique
Ann Rule does the same in The Stranger Beside Me.
But what makes her book unique is that she was able to write about one of the most notorious serial killers in history, from the personal perspective of a longstanding friendship.
This book was a New York Times bestseller upon publication and has garnered thousands of rave reviews in the 40 years since.
Here’s a few of them:
‘A shattering story…carefully investigated, written with compassion but also with professional objectivity.’ (Seattle Times)
‘Affecting, tense and smart true crime.' (The Washington Post Book World)
‘Ann Rule has an extraordinary angle on the most fascinating killer in modern American history.’ (The New York Times)The Stranger Beside Synopsis
In 1971, the year Rule met Bundy, she was a forty year old plumpish mother of four, nearing divorce.
She had been a policewoman and studied abnormal psychology and police science at University.
Rule was now forging a career as a freelance writer, writing true crime stories for True Detective Magazine.
She volunteered two nights a week on the crisis hotlines at Seattle’s Crisis Clinic, where twenty five year old Bundy, a psychology student, was also volunteering to gain work experience.
They formed an almost instant rapport and became close friends.
On the surface, Ted Bundy was the epitome of wholesome American youth.
He was handsome, charming, intelligent, ambitious, and an active member of the Republican Party.
It was the main reason he managed to stay under the radar for so long.
In early 1974 a series of brutal murders of young women in Seattle shocked the city, and Rule was contracted to write a book about them.
Eye witness descriptions pointed to Bundy as a person of interest.
Authorities however, were deluged with tips and leads and because of his respectable persona, he was not followed up as a serious suspect.
Rule found it impossible to believe her friend would be capable of such crimes.
The Murders BeginIn late 1974, Bundy moved to Salt Lake City.
The killings in Seattle stopped and a series of murders of young women in Utah, Colorado and Idaho began.
The modus operandi was similar to those in Seattle.
Police in these states began sharing information, honing in on Bundy as their main suspect.
Still, Rule refused to believe in his culpability, even when he was extradited to Colorado to face murder charges.
Bundy escaped from custody in Colorado and made his way to Florida, where he killed three women and raped and killed a 12 year old girl.
It was not until his capture in 1978 and subsequent trial in Florida that Rule accepted that the man she thought she knew was a serial killer.
She conceded that he was the perpetrator of the crimes she was writing about in her book.
Bundy was sentenced to death for the Florida murders, but managed to stave off the inevitable for the next 11 years by a series of appeals.
Shortly before his death he confessed to over 30 murders committed in seven states, in an attempt to delay his execution.
It failed, and he was executed on 24 January 1989 at the age of 43.Ann Rule's Writing StyleRule’s writing style is engaging and easy to read.
She switches throughout the book from first person to third person, writing from Bundy’s point of view, beginning with his arrival in Florida and working back in time.
She does a fine job of balancing personal perspective and objectivity.
And we can really feel empathy for her as she slowly becomes aware of the horrendous dark side of her so-called kind and generous friend.
Listen to your dog
She writes candidly about the emotional trauma her friendship with Bundy caused her over the years:‘ I had always prided myself on my ability to detect aberrance in other humans, both because I had that innate skill and through experience and training.
And I have berated myself for a long time because I saw nothing threatening or disturbing in Ted’s façade.
He was very kind to me, solicitous of my safety and seemingly empathetic.’Everyone Was A Pawn
Rule was just one of many people, including his victims, who were taken in by Bundy’s personable façade.
She admits her naivety in being unwilling to see the truth for so long.
Indeed, I became frustrated with her refusal to face facts in the wake of insurmountable evidence.
Even after she acknowledged Bundy’s guilt, she continued, out of some misplaced sense of loyalty, to write to him in prison and send him money.
‘‘I don’t feel particularly embarrassed or resentful about that. I was one of many, all of us intelligent, compassionate people who had no real comprehension of what possessed him, what drove him obsessively.’Interesting Updates
I found the updates of each new edition of the book as fascinating as the story itself.
The 1989 update features Bundy’s execution, and the 2000 update includes the experiences of many women who claimed to have encountered Bundy in the 1970s.
In addition to his lengthy list of murders, there were numerous times when he attempted abduction.
The victims however, whether through luck or their own resourcefulness, managed to escape.
A 2008 update of the book features more ‘near miss’ stories from women who encountered Bundy.
It also includes a ‘Ted Bundy FAQ’ section, where Rule answers the questions she is most often asked by readers.
Ann Rule Author of Stranger Beside Me
Ann Rule was born in 1931 in Michigan.
Her grandfather and uncle were sheriffs, and she spent her school holidays with her grandparents doing volunteer work at the local jail.
This fostered her interest in crime.
She was curious about the prisoners she encountered – who they were and what had led them there.
Rule studied creative writing, criminology and psychology at University.
She wrote over 30 true crime books, many hitting #1 on the New York Times bestseller list.
The Stranger Beside Me is her best known work.
Another acclaimed novel is Small Sacrifices, about Oregon child murderer Diane Downs.
Rule said she prided herself on being an advocate for women, in this interview for Psychology Today not long before she died. She is interviewed here by Cathy Scott.
[image error]In this interview in The Internet Writing Journal, Rule discussed her writing process, what inspired her and how she juggled it with raising her children.
Ann Rule On YoutubeRule discussed her career and how she got started in this YouTube Interview.
The Stranger Beside Me Review Conclusion
Although Rule came under criticism for being too close to her subject in The Stranger Beside Me, it’s a riveting story, regardless of your opinion.
If you’re a true crime fan, I highly recommend it.
It's a fascinating insight into one of the world’s most notorious serial killers.
I’ll let the author have the final words:
‘His crimes changed my life and opened the door to my first book contract, but as a human being, I wish I could go back and erase him and his murderous swath through America.’ The Stranger Beside Me [image error] Buy On Amazon Now! Other Books By Ann RuleA Rose For Her Grave [image error] Green River, Running Red
Read more of Robin's true crime reviews here. For fiction reviews, click here.
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May 10, 2020
Missing William Tyrrell Caroline Overington Review
Missing William Tyrrell is a true crime novel by Caroline Overington.
It was published in February 2020 by Harper Colllins.
It’s a well-crafted, moving account of a case that has tugged at the heartstrings of people world-wide.
The book investigates the disappearance of three-year-old William Tyrrell in a small New South Wales town in Australia over five years ago.
It's difficult to review a book that covers such an emotive and tragic event as the abduction of an innocent and defenceless child.
Here is what some of the reviewers had to say:‘It’s well researched and written, and also Caroline is a calm narrator. The story is complex and I felt Caroline has written it in a simple way for readers to follow.’ (Goodreads)
‘Detailing the key events and figures, Overington builds a compelling, complex picture of a tragic puzzle.' (Sydney Morning Herald)
‘I read Missing William Tyrrell in just a twenty four hour turn around, which is testament to the writing of the author and the pull of this case.’ (Goodreads)Missing William Tyrell Synopsis
On the morning of Friday 12 September 2014, William Tyrrell was playing in the yard of his foster grandmother at Kendall, a small mid-North Coast town in New South Wales, when he disappeared.
It was only a matter of minutes before his disappearance was discovered, and friends and neighbours immediately launched an extensive search of nearby bushland.
No trace of him was found and police then began to suspect that he had been abducted. Over five years later, he is still missing.The Cheeky SpidermanThis is a case that has haunted Australia.
The image of William Tyrrell grinning cheekily in the Spiderman suit he was wearing when he disappeared, was beamed all over the media and into our collective consciousness.
The baffling nature of his disappearance has also captured our attention.
There was about a five minute window for him to disappear from a quiet street.
A street where residents, many retired, would have noticed an unfamiliar car or person with a child, perhaps crying out.
It seemed as if he’d literally disappeared into the ether.
Was it planned, or a crime of opportunity?
It’s a complex case because no-one could reveal that William was in foster care.
The reason for this, at least initially, was due to confidentiality laws.
But primarily, it was to protect his older sister, who is also under the care of the same foster family.
Neither his foster family, nor his biological family were permitted to make any statements to the media.
The veil of secrecy led to rumours, gossip and innuendo.
This secrecy was lifted by a later court order, enabling that information to be made public.
The foster parents, biological parents and relatives have all been exhaustively investigated, and eliminated from the suspect list.
Other leads and suspects have been followed up, but there’s been nothing conclusive.
An inquest into William’s disappearance commenced in March 2019, but was recently suspended due to the corona virus.
Investigations are ongoing, and there is some hope that William may still be alive.
A reward of $1 million dollars has been offered for information leading to an arrest, the first of its magnitude in New South Wales.
Caroline Overington's Writing StyleOverington is an experienced journalist and author.
She writes a clear and compelling account of this case, examining all facets of it and the people involved with sensitivity and empathy.
‘The identity of William’s biological parents has for many years been a complete mystery to the public.
They have long wanted to speak out on his behalf, and have instead endured gossip, much of it nasty and unfair.’
‘It’s hard for parents to see their children being cared for by people they don’t know, whose parenting style may be different.
There would seem to be little point glossing over these facts: biological parents often feel that their children don’t need to be in care, and they are often trying to get them back.
Foster parents often feel that the tug of love, while necessary, is difficult to manage.’
Overington starts the story with a detailed description of the day of William’s disappearance, from the point of view of all parties involved and later, the main suspects.
Seeing the events unfold through so many eyes makes for compelling reading.
We get an insight into the lives of the foster and biological families, neighbours, suspects, key figures and police personnel.
The author guides us, with a rational and objective eye, through the facts, information, insights and theories.
She exams a number of different scenarios of what could have happened.
While providing a lucid and balanced account of events, Overington also writes with understanding and compassion.
Especially of the importance of finding William – alive or dead.
‘‘Nobody wants to quit. Not while William is still missing. Because can you not feel him all around us? He waits for us to find him. We must all at some point say goodbye to those we loved, or else they must say goodbye to us. He deserves this.’Author Caroline Overington [image error]
Caroline Overington Author of Missing William Tyrrell
Caroline Overington lives in Sydney and is a renowned journalist and author of psychological thrillers.
She has twice won Australia’s most prestigious award for journalism, the Walkley Award for Investigative Journalism, as well as number of other awards for her journalism and fiction novels.
Overington also won the Davitt Award for crime writing in 2015 for her true crime novel Last Woman Hanged.
This is the harrowing story of Louisa Collins, the only woman hanged at the notorious Darlinghurst gaol in Sydney.
In this interview with Channel 7 news on 25 February 2020, Overington discusses the latest developments in the search for William.
She has also produced a podcast about the disappearance of William Tyrrell, called Nowhere Child.
[image error] Caroline Overington On YoutubeIn this brief video, My Life in Books, Caroline Overington talks about the books that have influenced her writing.
Missing William Tyrell Review Conclusion
If you’re a fan of true crime, or you’re concerned about the disappearance of William Tyrrell, I highly recommend this book.
It will bring up more questions than it answers, but the author has stated she is confident he will be found.
Let’s hope she’s right.
Missing William Tyrrell [image error] Buy On Amazon Now! Other Books By Author Caroline OveringtonI Came To Say Goodbye [image error] Last Woman Hanged
Robin Storey writes reviews for both fiction and non-fiction books. Read her review of true crime book Three Crooked Kings by Matthew Condon.
The post Missing William Tyrrell Caroline Overington Review by Robin Storey appeared first on Robin Storey.
May 4, 2020
7 Steps For Writing Your Life Story
Congratulations! You’ve decided that writing your life story is the way to go, but you may be well be wondering, ‘Where do I begin?’
Here are the 7 steps for writing your life story that will get the ball rolling.
7 Steps For Writing Your Life Story
1. Brainstorm2. Arrange In Chronological Order3. Create An Outline4. Start Writing Your Life Story5. Rewrite6. Edit7. Publish8. Bonus Tip - Let Me Write It For You
1. Brainstorm
First tip - don’t start writing. Not yet.
You’ll find it a lot easier to begin if you have all, or most of the information you need beforehand.
One of the most enjoyable and effective ways to do this is to brainstorm. Write down all the events of your life, large and small, as they occur to you.
Don’t worry about chronological order, just get them all down.
Here are some ways to stimulate those little grey memory cells.
Don’t just write down events - also record your thoughts, feelings and sensory information such as smell, sounds and touch.
These impressions help to make your story come alive so that when you’re writing your life story, it has more impact.
You’ll be surprised at how many forgotten memories will float to the surface during this process.
Be patient - allow yourself a few weeks for this. Aim to have at least 500 memories in your list before you start writing.
You will find that even after you start writing, memories will continue to pop up throughout the process - and even after you’ve finished!
This is exactly what happened with me when I wrote a memoir about my experiences with breast cancer.
Once you’ve exhausted the brainstorming process, now is the time to put all your information into chronological order.
How you do that is up to you:
You can do it with pen and paper and allocate a page/pages for each year, or you can do it on your computer and have a folder for each year.
Another option is to use an online organisational tool like Trello. There are many tools "out there" that are similar to this.
You may not necessarily write your story in chronological order, but it’s helpful to have your information organised in this way.
3. Create An OutlineSome people may prefer to skip this bit and just start writing.
But if you’re a beginner, creating an outline will certainly be of use, even if you decide to vary it later.
Creating an outline means planning how you’re going to write the book and getting the structure down.
You can be as general or specific as you like and you can divide the book into broad sections.
For example, childhood, work, marriage, family, travel, retirement, and place all the events into the appropriate section in the outline.
Or you may want to plan it chapter by chapter.
This will be more difficult to do until you start writing your life story, so my advice is to wait until then.
As you write you’ll find it easier to work out where a chapter should end and another begin.
One important thing to decide before you start writing is where you’re going to begin.
You can do it the conventional way - start at your birth and write the whole story in chronological order.
However, it’s often more interesting for the reader if you start with a particular event that was a climax, something that changed the course of your life.
This will hook the reader and make them want to read further.
In successive chapters, you can go back to the beginning and show how the events of your life led to this climax, and the aftermath.
There are other methods of starting - for example, you could introduce a mystery or a puzzle, something that has intrigued you, then reveal the answer over subsequent chapters.
Or start in the present with a flashback to a significant incident, then describe the events leading up to it.
4. Start Writing Your Life StoryThis is the fun bit. Put pen to paper, or hand to keyboard, and let your creativity flow.
If you haven’t written anything major since your last school assignment, you may be slow at first.
But keep at it - like anything, it gets easier with practice.
The most important thing to remember is that this is just your first draft. It doesn’t have to be perfect.
You are writing your life story. It takes time.
Nobody else need read it, except you. Don’t worry about spelling, punctuation or grammar, you can fix those mistakes later.
Rest assured that your final version will be much improved.
If you come to a section where you realise you don’t have enough information or you have to do more research, just insert a placeholder, such as RESEARCH LATER, so you can go back to it when you’ve finished.
If you stop too often to research while writing, it will slow down the process. This can cause you to lose motivation, because it can seem as if you’re not making progress.
‘I’ve been writing this book for 12 months and I’m still only half way through!’
And when some asks "hey, how's that life story of yours going?", it ends up like.....
You will achieve much more if you set aside some time each week for your writing.
At least a couple of sessions per week is optimal. If you can manage more, even better.
Mark it in your calendar and try not to let anything else get in the way.
Once writing becomes part of your routine, it’s a lot easier to keep up the momentum and finish your story.
It will also help to have a designated area to do your writing, preferably a quiet area where you won’t be interrupted.
And if you lose sight of why you're writing it, read this post to remind you of the reasons why you started writing in the first place.
Don’t look so dismayed - you don’t have to rewrite it all from scratch!
But now that you have finished the first draft, you will find, once you read over it, that there are parts that need to be deleted, changed or rewritten.
‘How do I know what changes to make?’ I hear you cry.
There are two ways to find out, and if you can do both, that’s great.
Put Your Story Aside
Firstly, put your manuscript aside for a few weeks, a couple of months if you can, before you re-read it.
You have spent so much time engrossed in the writing of it that you can’t be objective about its flaws.
And there will be flaws. No-one, not even Lee child or Stephen King, writes a perfect first draft.
Afterwards, when you re-read your story, the time away from it will have given you a sharper perspective and you will be able to see its shortcomings more clearly.
And by mistakes, I don’t just mean spelling and grammar, I’m talking about the bigger picture, such as:
The flow of the story, how it is put together, whether it maintains interest, the emotions evoked in the reader.
Get An Objective Opinion
Give your manuscript to a trusted friend, ask them to read it and give you constructive criticism.
It needs to be someone whose judgment you respect and whom you know will be honest.
It goes without saying that they should be an avid reader and have a good command of English.
Give them a list of questions to answer, such as ‘Did the beginning interest you and make you want to read on?
Were there any places you got bored? Did the story flow well?
Was there anything you didn’t understand, or that I should have added or left out? Did you like the ending?’
Make Changes
Based on your own thoughts and those of your critiquing friend (whose advice you don’t have to take if you don’t agree with it), you can now make changes, rewrite where necessary and polish your prose till it sparkles.
6. EditNow that you’ve dealt with the big picture aspects of your story, it’s time to attack your spelling, grammar and punctuation.
Once you’ve gone through it and fixed your mistakes to the best of your ability, you will still need another pair of eyes.
It doesn’t matter how good your English is, there will be things you’ll miss, because you can’t see your own mistakes.
Find A Proof ReaderIf you can afford a professional proofreader, that’s ideal.
If not, put the word out amongst your friends and acquaintances and find someone who is conversant with the rules of spelling, grammar and punctuation and would be willing to proofread your manuscript for you.
Once they’ve done that, go over your manuscript and make all the necessary changes.
Read It Out LoudTo make your story as engaging as it can possibly be, there’s one final step I highly recommend.
Set aside a few hours on a comfortable couch and read it out loud to yourself.
Many professional authors do this; it’s an excellent way to find sentences that sound clunky, or don’t make sense, or words that aren’t quite right.
You won’t necessarily pick those up by reading your story on a screen or paper.
It’s time consuming, but it’s worth it.
7. PublishNow it’s time to release your book into the world!
How you do this depends on your reason for writing it.
If you have written your story only for family and friends, you can create your own book with an online publishing program, or you can employ a publisher to do it for you.
Google ‘book publishers’ to find those in your area.
As publishing is all done digitally, technically your publisher could be anywhere in the world.
Here's a list of book publishers that you might (or might not) know.
But it’s better to find one in your area if you can, as that will decrease the cost of shipping the published books to you.
Read the publisher’s terms and conditions carefully to make sure you know exactly what you’re paying for, and what is not included.
Many publishers will also give you the option of publishing your book to be available in bookstores for the general public to buy, if that’s your aim, though the marketing of the book will be up to you.
Beware Of Marketing PackagesSome publishers offer you a marketing package as well as a publishing package, but again, study the terms carefully.
The problem with marketing is it’s not an exact science.
No matter how experienced the marketer is, it’s not possible to know or predict how many copies a book will sell.
You can find yourself paying thousands of dollars for a marketing package, which you may not get back in sales and which will leave you out of pocket.
Don't Forget PhotosNo life story is complete without photos, which you will need in digital form.
Choose your best quality photos - for the purposes of publishing, your photos have to be at least 300 dpi.
If they are less, there are free online tools that will convert them for you.
Keep in mind that the more photos you have, the more expensive the publishing will be, and that colour will cost more than black and white.
Most publishers advise using black and white photos.
Book a Free, No-Obligation Consultation Today!
Click the button below to find out more about having your story ghostwritten and to book an appointment with me.
book now
If writing your life story by yourself sounds too daunting, and you decide you’d rather have someone else do all the work, I’m here to help.
I will write your life story for you, from start to finish, and you won’t have to lift a finger.
Read more about how I can help you here and please feel free to contact me for an obligation-free discussion about your needs.
Click on the Book Now button above and let's have a chat.
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April 20, 2020
11 Powerful Reasons To Write Your Life Story
If you've ever needed the motivation to get your life down on paper then look no further. Here are 11 powerful reasons to write your life story.
Maybe you’ve been thinking about it, or maybe your children or grandchildren are nagging you to do it.
Whatever the case, you now have 11 compelling reasons that will make you want to put pen to paper, or hand to keyboard, straight away.
11 Powerful Reasons To Write Your Life Story
1. Leave A Legacy For Your Family2. Become A Part Of History3. Understand Yourself Better4. It Is Therapuetic To Write Your Life Story5. Feel More Connected6. It Gives You A Sense Of Purpose7. It's Good For Your Health8. You'll Make New Friends9. It's Fun And Exciting To Write Your Life Story10. Discover Your Creativity11. It Can Be Done By Someone Else
1. Leave A Legacy For Your Family
This is often the reason that resonates most with older people.
Writing the story of your life will ensure that you’re not just a name on a family tree. Think of it as attaining your own little piece of immortality.
Future generations will know and understand who you were, what shaped and influenced your life, and what life was like in your era.
It’s a fundamental human need to know our past, how it links to the present and where we fit in.
Below is a story about Bob McDermant and his life as an ambulance officer. This story is a great example of leaving a legacy to family and fellow colleagues.
Let’s face it, history books can be pretty dry and it’s mainly from the stories and journals of ordinary people that we know what life was like in past eras.
When I was in secondary school I hated Ancient History.
Our text books were chock full of boring facts - dates of wars, who conquered who, what land they took, etc.
It contained nothing in it that I was interested in.
What I wanted to know as how the people of those times lived their daily lives, what they wore, what they ate, how they raised their families.
Socrates said, ’The unexamined life is not worth living.’
Often it is not until you put your stories down on paper and evaluate the highlights, milestones, struggles and disappointments, that you can put things in perspective and see the big picture.
While we’re in philosopher mode, Danish philosopher Kierkegaard said, ‘Life can only be understood backwards, but must be lived forwards.’
Writing your story enables you to acknowledge your strengths and weaknesses, lessons you’ve learnt and how you’ve overcome adversity.
You can see patterns in your behaviour which perhaps you hadn’t noticed before.
You'll see how everything that has happened in your life, good and bad, has led you to where you are today.
Even if this is not the aim of writing your life story, it can be an unexpected bonus.
We’ve all experienced suffering and you may have lingering feelings of anger, sadness, grief or a range of other emotions from past events that you haven’t come to terms with.
This was the case for me when I wrote a memoir about my experiences with breast cancer.
Perhaps you’re not even aware of these feelings until you write about the events.
Getting them down on paper helps you to make sense of them and find meaning in them, facilitating the healing process.
Storytelling is one of our most basic forms of communication and we are hardwired to respond to stories.
Through telling your story, you find parts of yourself that are mirrored in others, and vice versa.
As Michelle Obama said, ‘When we share our stories, we are reminded of the humanity in each other.
And when we take the time to understand each other’s stories, we become more forgiving, more empathetic, and more inclusive.’
When others read your life story and make comments such as, ‘I can relate to that,’ or ‘That’s exactly how I felt when that happened to me,’ it gives you a feeling of connection to that person.
Sometimes you think you’re the only person to have reacted in a certain way to an event, or to have had particular thoughts and feelings.
To discover that others have had similar experiences is gratifying - often a relief - and helps you to appreciate being part of humanity as a whole.
Telling your story can give you a goal to aim for - a reason to get up in the morning.
You will feel that you are making a contribution to your family and society, that you are part of something that extends beyond yourself.
Elderly people in particular sometimes feel aimless, and that their life is not of much value or worth to the rest of the world.
Writing your life story is the ideal remedy!
But what if writing your whole life story is too much?
Maybe you could start with a memoir, which covers a particular time or event in your life.
Watch this quick 3 minute video about writing memoirs and what you need to think about before you start.
You can also use it as a primer if you DO want to write your life story in full.
7. It's Good For Your Health
Writing your life story uses a lot of your mental resources.
Digging deep into your memories, creating the structure of the book and the process of writing it all help to keep your brain active, especially important as you get older.
And being involved in something that you find fulfilling contributes to your overall physical and mental well-being.
8. You'll Make New FriendsWhen you embark on a major project, it’s often more enjoyable and motivating if you can do it with others.
Join a memoir/life story writing group, either in person or online.
The encouragement, support and advice you get from the other members will be invaluable.
Even if you think you know nothing about writing, you’ll be surprised at how much you’ll be able to contribute to the group yourself.
It’s a great way to meet new people with whom you have at least one interest in common. If you can’t find a group, start one yourself!
9. It's Fun And Exciting To Write Your Life StoryWhat more compelling reason do you need to write your life story?
Retrieving and collating your memories involves looking at old photos and mementos, and foraging through boxes of family treasures you haven’t opened for ages.
You’re on the nostalgia train, which is a nice bit of escapism. Even more fun if you’re doing it with your family.
Once you start writing, it can be challenging, but at the same time enjoyable. The important thing for the first draft is just to get it all down, then you can go back and edit it later.
If you're using a ghostwriter/mentor, they can guide you on what to include or not, so that you don't go down too many rabbit holes and waste time.
If you don't even know what a ghostwriter is, here's a post I wrote about ghostwriters and how they can help you.
10. Discover Your CreativityWriting your life story gives you a chance to be creative.
Transforming your life into words is one of the most creative pursuits you can engage in, and brings a terrific sense of achievement.
You don’t have to be a great writer - even if you’ve written nothing more complicated than a shopping list since you left school, don’t worry.
Just start and learn along the way.
You may surprise yourself, especially if you’ve been an avid reader all your life.
People who read a lot usually have some sort of ability when it comes to putting words on the page, because they’ve subconsciously picked it up from the books they’ve read.
It can be easier if you have a mentor to guide you.
They can help with such things as planning and structuring the book, the writing process and editing, or all three.
I have a mentoring service for those who are keen to write their own life stories and I offer an obligation free discussion about the best way to approach your book.
If you want your life story written but don’t want to do it yourself, I offer a professional ghostwriting service.
With this service, I write the book for you the way you want, but you are credited as the author.
Which brings me to the final point.......
Book a Free, No-Obligation Consultation Today!
Click the button below to find out more about having your story ghostwritten and to book an appointment with me.
book now
A very powerful reason to write your life story is that you don't have to do it yourself.
There are people, like me, who can do it all (or part) for you and all you have to do is tell them your story. They'll do all the hard work.
If that's you, and you'd like to talk to someone to get the ball rolling, then click on the Book Now button above and let's have a chat.
The feeling of accomplishment in getting your life story into print is indescribable.
It's an achievement that you can be reminded of every time you look at your bookshelf.
The post 11 Powerful Reasons To Write Your Life Story by Robin Storey appeared first on Robin Storey.
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