Harry's Last Stand

I met a wonderful and inspirational 93 year old man tonight in the form of author and political commentator Harry Leslie Smith.

He was in Beeston to talk about his long and varied life, and how he worries about the sort of country Britain has become, and how it may end up.

Harry was born in Barnsley and experienced grinding poverty at an early age. Sadly his sister died because their parents couldn't afford any treatment. This was long before the creation of the NHS, where everyone can get treatment for free.

During 1941, Harry joined the RAF, and when the war was over, he fell in love and married a German girl from Hamburg. This was the basis for his book 'Love amongst the Ruins'.  But it is his most recent book 'Harry's Last Stand' that he has become well known for. That and his Twitter postings, where he makes sensible observations and comments about what's happening in the country. The latest being about the forthcoming Euro election.

He received a well deserved standing ovation when the night was over and I think the the whole audience of over a hundred wanted to say hello and have a selfie with him.

Watching The Detectives

Have you ever thought about what an author of murder stories might look like? Will they resemble someone who enjoys killing people?

I think most people know what Agatha Christie looks like from photos and films about her. From what I've remember, she looks like your favourite old aunt. But one that has bumped an awful lot of people off with her pen!

So I wondered what I was letting myself in for when I went to my local library this afternoon, to listen to thriller writer Stephen Booth. He was giving a public talk about his life and work. Will he be waiting to pounce on us as we went through the door, waving a pick axe about. Blood splattered on the walls?

Well no, he actually looked quite normal. Someone with a kind face. Stephen spoke for well over an hour about his early life in Lancashire and his interest in books. Even though there was only three in the house. He even managed to write a novel when he was 12 years old. He also answered questions from the audience of about 40 people, who sat glued to every word.

Once he had finished his degree at university, Stephen got a job as a journalist on a local newspaper, where he got to know the local police. This gave him the spark to start writing properly, and completed his first murder story, set in the Derbyshire Peak District in 1999. It featured two young detectives called Cooper & Fry, and was entitled 'Black Dog'. He's just about to have his 16th novel published, which also features the dynamic duo.

I must admit, I have never read one of Stephen's books, or even heard of Cooper & Fry before. I will though, especially now, as the stories may be televised in a new series that is presently going through the development stage.

There was an opportunity at the end of the talk for his fans to buy any novels that they didn't have, get them signed and personally chat to him.

Talking Italian

Italian artist and journalist Roberto Alborghetti has come to Beeston for a couple of days to catch up with some friends and to see the Ghost Bus again.

It's nearly a year since I first met Roberto, purely by chance, as I went to see the Ghost Bus show at Barton's, and ended up interviewing him for a magazine that I write for called The Beestonian.

It was good to see Roberto again. I had not seen him since we were in Tuscany in October.  I met up with him down near Beeston Marina, where he was being shown around by another friend called Marysia, and her dog Tag.

Of course photos were in order, and here is one of Roberto, proudly showing off the book he wrote about the current Pope. The first in a series I believe.

Writer's Block

I happened to be in the right place at the right time this morning, when I visited my local library, as a small awards ceremony took place for local novelists.

The Great Beeston Book Read has been a six month competition where people have read and voted on eight books from local writers, ranging from a children's book, a thriller and the winning novel; an historical mystery.

Ripples And Shadows tells the story of a history professor who finds some 200 year old journals, written by someone who lived at a country house, where they were discovered.

I've got a copy of the book from the library today, so I'll see what it's like.

Here's a photo of the winning author Stephen Taylor receiving his trophy from BBC Radio Nottingham's John Holmes (right of picture).

Crime Does Pay

Wednesday night is Headbanger Challenge night in Blogland, and Richard, our newest recruit has come up with this weeks' theme. He has picked 'through the window'.

Now this sentence takes me back to my childhood when I watched Play School at about 4pm every weekday. And everyday they used to either go through the round, square or arched window, and we'd see a film of something being made, a different country or some such thing.

So I'm taking you through the oblong window to Chester today and this pirate who was standing guard inside a shop; which I just can't remember what it's name was, or what it was selling. Still it makes for something different.

Don't forget to pop over to the other blogs to see how they have interpreted the theme, and enjoy this nostalgic song from the 1930s.


The famous American crime writer Lee Child was in town today, doing a book signing at Waterstones of his latest novel "A Wanted Man'. And he certainly was wanted, as there was a queue a mile long that stretched up the side of the building.
His wrist must really have ached after autographing so many editions. In fact one guy came along with a bag full of his previous novels to sign!

I have read one of his novels so far called 61 Hours. It was a good read too. Quite suspenseful and certainly a page turner. I will probably get this one when it appears in my local library, which I think is about his 12th so far.

I also had a bit of a surprise, as this young lady came up to me and asked if I was "Gailsman". I said I was, and she introduced herself as Eva, and she helped to write the Nottingham Confidential website; of which you'll find a link on my favourite blogs. She said that she enjoyed looking at my blog and thought my photos were great. I said that I found NC very useful for finding out about some of the events that were taking place in the city. So if you are reading this Eva, nice to have met you today and hope to bump into you at the next event.