Dog Dirt Doris: The Release Day Came - and Went!

The eager guests gathered and were served wine poured from bottles in brown paper bags and labeled paraffin or cider; their nectar, sipped from plastic beakers to wash down an assortment of crisps and sausage rolls in a manner far from the vagabond life style Doris experienced.

The room buzzed with excited chatter as I listened to a dear aunt explain how she cried while reading about Dorothy on the Anzio battlefield before informing me that it was there that her husband had fought his war.

After the supportive throng had dispersed I signed books at a table in the library reception where I encountered a real Anzio hero; a spritely yet elderly man, keen to make my acquaintance. He was eager to read my book and avidly confirmed the horrific content that its pages quite simply contain. I felt honored as I listened and respectful of the soldier standing before me as he spoke of things he had not previously mentioned to anyone else.

Although I wrote Dog Dirt Doris and have read it a hundred times; despite all the research to uncover its historical content I did not anticipate and was not prepared for the emotional response presented to me by those who have experience of or a relationship with the content of the story. I guess I have things to learn in my quest to becoming an author but I hope my story has done justice to the memory and experience of those who hold a deeper affinity with the book’s content and I appreciate their comments very much.

So, with the launch day behind me, I am proud to say my book is now available on the World Wide Web, through dogdirtdoris.com, books-2B-loved on Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com. It is available at book stores throughout America and will be released early next year, 2009 in book stores throughout the UK.

I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

A Post for November - Better Late Than Never!

Well, if ever I thought during my writing of Dog Dirt Doris that it was tough going, and believe me sitting down to write after a ten hour work day was occasionally hard to do, then I was mistaken. By comparison to the effort of marketing the finished book, the writing now looks to have been the easy part.

Perhaps it’s the fact that I’m isolated in the middle of the desert of the Middle East which is not the best location from which to communicate with publisher, bookstore outlets or advertising media is proving to be hard going. The time difference between country to country could also be playing its part in drawing out communication of planning and arranging events. But the main factor seems to be the three day weekend that makes coordinating all the activities difficult.

‘A three day weekend!’ I hear you gasp.

Well, not by choice and certainly not spent on the beach, I can assure you. Friday is the Middle East’s rest day, so I use this, my one day off per week, to answer any outstanding issues before the western world countries take their recognized weekend of Saturday and Sunday, when I lose all communication towards progress.

However, during the remaining four day weeks I managed to plan a book launch at my local Grimsby Library on Thursday, 11 November, for which I thank the Grimsby Leisure Department and library staff for their overwhelming support, a supporting article in the Cleethorpes Chronicle, a local weekly newspaper, a copy of which I hope to place on this web-site. Additionally I had a book signing at a British Red Cross Association’s charity shop in Kettering, the Red Cross being renowned for its support of military personnel during and following war time activities I also had a short promotional article in the Lincolnshire Life magazine for the December publication along with an advert letting people know where the book was available.

At this present time, I still haven’t managed to get the book into Waterstones but therein lies another story!

Reader Comments

Although the 11 November launch date is still some way off it is now possible to buy Dog Dirt Doris over the internet through Tate Publishing or www.dogdirtdoris.com which some people have done and I would like to share with you one or two comments I have received.

A young female reader informed me;

‘I was trying to make the book last me but, well I read half of it in one night. I didn't finish until 3.00am in the morning. It was fab . . . I am going to read it again I enjoyed it that much . . .” Jessica Vicars

And a reply from a male reader said;

“Just finished reading your book this weekend - really enjoyed it. This surprised me, not because I doubt you can write a good book, but because this it not my usual choice of reading. Yet I became absorbed in the story, zoomed through and reached the end all too quickly. A great first book and I hope the marketing brings it to everyone’s attention.”
Simon Hulse

First Fan Mail

I have just received news that a lady of 90 years young was so captivated with the story of Dog Dirt Doris that she continued her reading into the early hours of the morning in order to discover the conclusion of the book. And now she's starting it again in case she missed anything and because she felt she'd rushed the last few chapters!

She thinks ‘the book is a winner and just needs communicating to the wider audience.’

Not only do I admire her determination, I also really appreciate her telling me of the satisfaction my work has provided her with and the belief that the book is a winner!

Research Files Now On Dog Dirt Doris

It would appear that becoming an author and novelist is not restricted to writing books. I’m advised that I should also blog. And who determined the expression ‘blog’ anyway, perhaps someone would enlighten me. Well, as you can read below, my first ‘blog’ was more of a rant, so please bear with me while I get the hang of blogging.

In the meantime I would like to inform you that I am doing my best to put together support material and information behind the story of Dorothy. During my research period, while developing the storyline, I took many notes and photographs of the places associated with and included in the book, from which pages on www.dogdirtdoris.com are being put together. However, now looking back I have an awful lot of material that became superfluous as places and events changed to accommodate the eventual and final version that you have or, hopefully, will read.

But if there is one thing I can relay to you from all of the research I uncovered, additional to that described in the book that is, it would be that the events and situations of war described in Dog Dirt Doris are mild by comparison to some of the atrocities I learned about. I felt that true, realistic accounts of events were not in keeping with the nature of the book, despite the fact that, without the realization of such happenings, I would not have been able to create those I have described. It is difficult to realize or comprehend the price that some people paid for us to be able to sit here today and I hope that Dorothy’s story will help to bring some reflection on and respect for our own position in life.

Dog Dirt Doris - Publication Date 11th November 2008

Part of Dorothy’s story takes place in Anzio, where a memorable campaign in the liberation of Italy took place towards the end of World War II. It is for this reason that Armistice Day has been chosen for the release date of Dog Dirt Doris.

From Tuesday 11 November 2008 Dog Dirt Doris will be available on general release at major bookstores around the world and also through the internet markets.

Within the story there is reference to “doing your bit”, an expression of the contribution made by members of the armed forces. H.O.WARD also makes reference in "From the Author", in the book, to visit the war cemeteries of Anzio to pay respect.

Beginning, Middle and End

Beginning, Middle and End, that’s what I was told was the makeup of a good story. Here’s a beginning – A Blog, my first, if that’s what this is, perhaps maybe just a rant? I prefer it to be a blog, new trendy, seeing as I’ve not blogged before. Rant, well we all rant. On and on, rant, rant, rant. Remember Monty Python, wow, could they rant. Rant, rant, rant, rant. Rant, rant, rant, rant. Raaant . . . rantaty rant. Any way not to get carried away, this a blog. Where was I . . . yes, beginning middle and end, the making of a good story. Consider this short story. Once upon a time, they all lived happy ever after. A beginning, a middle and an end, or is there?Is there a middle, is the fact that ‘they all lived’ a middle? The story makes sense, it’s complete, but to me it consists of a beginning and an end. ‘Once upon a time,’ the beginning. ‘They all lived happy ever after,’ is that not the end of a good story? I know not many stories end that way these days, but they used to! And any way I’m ranting . . . opps, blogging.No! I think I’m ranting now. Blogging is much different to ranting don’t you think? So, if once upon a time they all lived happy ever after; I’m using a sentence here as a statement rather than a quote from the story if you follow; we have to ask, how do they live now? And the answer lies in blogging.Because once upon a time we used to rant, like I’m doing now. Only now we blog, like what this is.What’s in the middle is the fact that we live. And we’ll go on blogging happy ever after . . . maybe? As that depends on how we write . . . the end.