Product Description
Meet the residents of number 73 Westminster Road. Alfie Gorman, the suicidal Park Keeper, transvestite landlord Gerald Grimman and former showgirl Edith Hird.
Alfie is at the centre of the story.His childhood was shattered by the death of his older brother and he has spent his entire adult life roaming the seaside resorts of Britain, trying to recapture the happiness he felt during the holidays he spent there with his family.
All the fun of the Fair is a novel which is broad in scope, encompassing several families and a host of characters, all linked via number 73, the park, Alfie, or the town itself. We follow them as they work through their various conflicts, each of them hoping for redemption and happiness.
In Happy Mount Park, where Alfie works, there is an ice cream van operated by Lee Etchman, a lothario with a beer belly and an obsession with his teenage assistant, Tania Streatham.
Lee's older wife, the rich and glamorous Loriana Cipriani, is sick of his affairs. One evening, while walking on the promenade, she meets Alfie. They learn that they share Italian roots and strike up a friendship which offers hope to both of them.
You will begin the novel pitying Alfie but his sheer determination and will to keep getting up when life knocks him down will have you rooting for him, urging him to succeed in his quest to leave his dark past behind.
Alfie is at the centre of the story.His childhood was shattered by the death of his older brother and he has spent his entire adult life roaming the seaside resorts of Britain, trying to recapture the happiness he felt during the holidays he spent there with his family.
All the fun of the Fair is a novel which is broad in scope, encompassing several families and a host of characters, all linked via number 73, the park, Alfie, or the town itself. We follow them as they work through their various conflicts, each of them hoping for redemption and happiness.
In Happy Mount Park, where Alfie works, there is an ice cream van operated by Lee Etchman, a lothario with a beer belly and an obsession with his teenage assistant, Tania Streatham.
Lee's older wife, the rich and glamorous Loriana Cipriani, is sick of his affairs. One evening, while walking on the promenade, she meets Alfie. They learn that they share Italian roots and strike up a friendship which offers hope to both of them.
You will begin the novel pitying Alfie but his sheer determination and will to keep getting up when life knocks him down will have you rooting for him, urging him to succeed in his quest to leave his dark past behind.
About the Author
Originally I'm a Yorkshire boy (as of 1976 when I was born) but have lived in Lancashire since I was four. Specifically my parents moved to Morecambe, the seaside and to this day I still love looking at the sea. It's something you'll either 'get' or you won't. But when the wife and I bought our first house together, condition number one was it had to be near the sea. We were lucky enough to pick one with a view right across Morecambe Bay. The town might be struggling, but I've been around the world and have yet to see a better view. Amongst my various qualifications that I have yet to put to use is an MA in Creative Writing from Manchester Metropolitan University. I'd thoroughly recommend the course to anyone interested in writing as it's great to be around like minded folk. I also have a BA (Hons) in English and Urban Policy and a Post Grad Diploma in Management which the NHS (my employer) very kindly paid for. My favourite author is Stephen King and I maintain that when he's on form he's as good as anyone has ever been. Unfortunately, in my opinion, he is often sold short as merely a writer of horror stories. Still, he's hardly struggling for readers. My favourite book is Catcher in the Rye although it's not everyone's idea of fun. I'm also an armchair sportsfan. For football, it's Liverpool. Golf, Tiger Woods. He'll come good. Tennis, Federer, by a distance the best player I've ever seen and I was a big Sampras fan. Most nights I also enjoy an ale. And a gin - specifically Hendricks, there's none finer. I like Port too, but I'm less fussy about the brand. My first novel was Playground Cool, written as part of my MA. It passed with flying colours, I got an agent from my very first letter and then...rejection letters from publishers. I've been close to publication with Transword since with another novel but still the book deal eludes me. I remain undeterred and still write all the time. Plus, the advent of the e-reader has made it possible for anyone to publish so who knows...
