Category Archives: Life Journey

First Reader Comments and The Bookbag Review

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Like a magic literary carpet, Paralian has traveled around the world and found its first one hundred readers. So far I am being showered with positive feedback. Many say, “I’m staying up ’till 2am each day ever since I started reading. Just can’t put it down.” (which really is the best compliment a writer could ever receive…)

Also Paralian has just been awarded 4.5 out of 5 stars by The Bookbag. Luke Marlowe has written a beautiful review. My favorite part: “Refreshing, enlightening, and a darn good read, Paralian covers difficult life situations with an optimism and grace that will surprise the coldest of readers, and as such is a read I can heartily recommend to all – I imagine, like me, you’ll come out of the book uplifted and positive by the read.”

Have a click here to see Luke’s entire review!

Here some more reactions I received so far (My dear enthusiastic reader, if yours is amongst these, I hope you don’t mind. You made my day… no, my entire year!)

“My God! What a story…!!!  My God….”

“I have spent the last two weekends absolutely engrossed! Yours is a life of adventure, endurance, persistence, optimism, beauty, love and inspiration. These are the key messages that flow through, despite the very real challenges and difficulties that you have had to navigate, and I love that.”

“Had a quick read of three or four chapters and wow………………..well done sir ! To say that it’s not easy to write a book of this magnitude must be the understatement of the year.”

“I collected the book from my post office this morning and started reading it on the ferry on way to work…. CANNOT PUT IT DOWN NOW! What a FANTASTIC read.

It is a very special book written by a very special person. When I started reading it brought tears of joy to my eyes. Not just because of your writing, but because I know the journey you have taken getting to this point.”

“….. I JUST LOVE IT!!!!!”

Thank you to all! xoxoxo

Paralian is launching on May 28, 2016! It is open for pre-order on Amazon, Troubador, Waterstones, WHSmith, and the Apple ibooks store.

A Lesson From Mr. Bojangles

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2013 horse and liam

A little taste from Chapter 7, ‘Atlantic Ocean’:

As I turned with Cinnebar to walk her out of the paddock, Mr. Bojangles closed the distance between us in a few powerful strides. Shocked, I turned towards him. He reared up and kicked me in the stomach with the full force of both his hind legs. Suddenly I was on the ground, struggling to catch a breath. Excruciating pain shot through my entire abdominal region.
I had fallen very close to the fence. Instinct took over and I rolled under the wire to safety. As I slowly caught my breath, I could see my host mom, Katie, through the kitchen window, shaking her head.
Feeling sorry for myself, I walked indoors hoping for some reassuring pats on the back. “Should have stood your ground,” Katie told me, in a voice hard as steel. “You should have gotten back on no matter how much it hurt or how scared you were. You’ll never be able to go into that paddock again.” She was right. Mr. Bojangles never respected me again. From then on, the moment I approached the fence, he would run at me, his head held high, his nostrils flaring.
The metaphorical significance of my experience didn’t escape me. I had rolled under the fence too often as a child. For most of my early school life, I had stood quietly in a corner, trying to avoid bruises and flying spittle. Mr. Bojangles taught me the need to believe in myself and face my opponents, no matter how unpleasant the experience might turn out to be. I needed to respect myself enough to stand up in the face of adversity. How else would I ever manage to belong in the world?

An Over-The-Moon Author

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The enchanted moment when I saw my book for the very first time… with a touch of Twilight Zone due to having multiple copies of myself staring right back at me in high resolution 😉

2016 book arrived-liam happy

Don’t Wait…

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I’m a regular fountain of wisdom 😉

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Arrival in Paradise

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2006 sunny c-block

A little taste of ‘Paralian’ from my time in the Maldives… Arrival in paradise…

“The staff accommodation set up was very amusing. I was reminded of Alcatraz as Judith showed me A-Block, B-Block, and C-Block as each small accumulation of staff rooms was called. My solitary confinement dwelling was located in C-Block, a long L-shaped building with many small doors, leading to very small rooms. Judith and her partner Rowan had secured an air conditioning unit for my little sanctuary. Some other people were bound to leave soon. I hoped to scrounge a few pieces of furniture and decorations from them. As I stood in the doorway of C-7 I realized that there wasn’t much need for decorations since there was hardly any space for them. Each of our rooms was about six square meters, with barely enough room to squeeze between the queen-sized bed, night table and wardrobe to reach the bathroom door.”

Launching on May 28, 2016! You can already preorder from Troubador, Amazon, Waterstones, WHSmith, and the Apple ibooks store.