Keep on walking ..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I did something this week that I've never done before in my life .. I gave a public reading from one of my books. I stood in front of an audience and read from 'Page 99, by Joe Bancroft' .. and it felt great! It was so enjoyable to be able to use accents and give accentuation to words I hope people might focus on when they read the book. Anyway, no-one walked out and I ended up reading for an hour longer than I'd proposed to, so that was alright, wasn't it?..

Speaking of walking, today's photograph must be at least 40 years old, but I'm buggered if I can find the negative. Instead, I scanned an old print - a proper 10x8 inch resin-coated black and white photograph - and tidied it up in Photoshop. Looks alright, although the thought did occur to me that 'Jake the Peg' was a Rolf Harris character, so I'm sure someone in this touchy-feely world of ours will now take exception. Well, it's my blog so you haven't got a leg to stand on .. (Groan!)

 

 

Copy that ..

 

 

 

 

 

 

As a kid, I dreamt of becoming a press photographer. All that exotic foreign travel, all that shoulder-rubbing with the rich and famous. In reality, most of my time was spent taking photographs like this .. the mundane, run-of-the-mill, bread and butter shots that filled a local weekly newspaper. (Faces sell 'papers, as they used to say. I talk about it in my fictional novel Page 99, by Joe Bancroft) ..

I recently unearthed an archive of this 'ordinary' press photography and plan to produce a collection of it to add to my stable of self-published books. (Actually, Faces sell 'papers isn't a bad title, come to think of it!) Anyway, my dream came true (obviously) and it's incredible to think but, back in November 1978, I'd just completed my first ever month as a professional photographer. A mere forty-six years ago, for goodness sake. At least photo-copiers have got smaller ..

Night School

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You know what they say about writing, right? Edit, edit, edit! So here I am, editing (yet again) my book Page 99, by Joe Bancroft.

I've just reached a part where the protagonist Joe enrols at night school. Remember night school? I certainly do. Each year, just about this time, the Eccles Journal would have a multi-paged pull-out featuring all the new courses that were on offer at the various further education venues around the town. There was a mouth-watering range of subjects and pricing that meant you'd be stupid not to take a course. I remember signing up for art, shorthand and, of course, photography when I was seventeen years old. Great days ..

Incidentally, here's the piece from my book ..

The ‘Photographer’s Eye’. Joe just had it. Could ‘see’ when a photograph was right. He could feel it. Would know when there was no other way to improve on a composition. It thrilled him to bits, which is why he signed up for a night-school course enticingly entitled ‘Tricks of the trade for the experienced amateur’. It spanned twelve Thursday nights in an annexe of the Green Lane adult education centre and Joe initially went just to enquire about the course but was convinced he should enrol after a fortunate chance meeting with Phil, the tutor. The guy’s chilled vibe, scruffy beard and posh, diffident voice were all very nice, but Joe put his name down the second Phil told him that, in no uncertain terms, would they be photographing rainbows or robins or waterfalls. What they did photograph - in only the third week - was a semi-professional model, the likes of whom Joe had never seen in his life; a blonde, crop-haired, perfectly made-up Heaven-sent Goddess called Janine, who sported lip-liner and blusher under a cheeky, tilted fedora and introduced him in no uncertain terms to the concept of ‘out of your bleedin’ league, mate’. Annoyingly, during the shoot, Phil kept rabbiting on about lighting and angle, exposure, pose and shadows, when all Joe could do was drool at this vision in a hat. 

 

Jumping for joy ..

 

 

 

 

 

 

So many good things happened at the weekend (and I don't just mean in the FA cup!) that I'm surprised I can get my head through the door this morning ..

Out of the blue, I received a message on Facebook saying "I'm LOVING seeing your work, absolutely fantastic. So inspiring .." and then an email came in saying "I always enjoy your bloggy ramblings." (Here's the next one, Simon!) As if that wasn't enough, I was contacted by a Scottish chap who's started reading my first book 'Page 99, by Joe Bancroft', having been sent it by a friend who'd read it on the Gold Coast in Australia. From Brisbane to John o' Groats, no less ..

Speaking of long journeys, today's photograph is one of the Kodachrome slides I've scanned as I move towards making a new travel-photography book. Can't wait to announce its launch ..

 

 

Well, that's nice ..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was ego-boost on toast for breakfast this morning, as another review came in for my book 'Page 99, by Joe Bancroft'. An unsolicited testimonial as they say and, seeing as this blog is all about me, darlings, I'm going to print it in full ..

"Thank you Martin O'Neill, for the laughter, tears and moments of nostalgia from my era. Music and cars! What an enjoyable read. Really recommend Page 99."

So now, all you have to do is order a copy too! Click here and let me know what you think ..

 

A smile on my face

 

 

 

 

 

 

I watched the film 'Sideways' again last night. Great film, and fantastic acting .. with a novelist who can't generate any interest in his new book. Man, can I relate to that! My own story 'Page 99, by Joe Bancroft', is currently wallowing at  2,211th in Amazon's Biographical Fiction list (But at least it's in there, right?), and I've run out of ideas as to how to promote it. (Well, apart from writing this, of course!) Still, at least I've had a new review today. A reader described it as "a really imaginative, funny, enjoyable read", and that's truly put a smile on my face ..

You're in my seat ..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of the 'then and now' shots I took during my UK trip was this one at the corner of Liverpool Road and Alexandra Road in Eccles, where I photographed my Dad over forty-five years ago. I put my shadow into the spot he'd have been standing, just to connect ..

I also went into The Grapes, the pub that was my Dad's 'local' for many a year. It's been done up with a nice bit of leather upholstery now, but this was his seat when he wasn't in the 'snug' with his mates. I can still see him sitting there, half a Guinness and a whiskey and lemonade on either side of an overflowing ash-tray. (Nice) ..

Writing this, it occurs to me that forty-five was also my Dad's age in this shot. (People looked a lot older in 'those days', didn't they?) He was a hard-working, hard-drinking Irishman and you'll have read many times in this blog how much I thought of him. Incidentally, there's a character quite like my Dad in a book I wrote .. 'Page 99, by Joe Bancroft'. Gives a little insight into the pre-mobile phone world of a man that finds himself alone after years of happy marriage .. 

  

No rush ..

 

 

 

 

 

I was paid rather a nice compliment the other day. A mate is reading my book 'Page 99, by Joe Bancroft.' "Have you finished it yet?" I asked. "Not yet," he replied. "I only read four pages a night." "Four? How come?" "Well," he said, "If I'm really enjoying a book, I don't want it to finish .."

Looks like others are enjoying it, too. The chart is my sales distribution for July, and I couldn't be happier. I just hope the Japanese sales are to English speakers, or it's going to be hard going!

 

 

The word on the street ..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When I was a kid - seven or eight, probably - I received a postal order for a pound after I'd had a letter published in my weekly 'Speed and Power' comic. I was absolutely thrilled. About as thrilled as I am this morning, having received an e-mail from Amazon with the details of my first ever Royalty payment. Yes, I am earning money from my book, at long last! (I'm not going to tell you how much, but let's just say the yacht's on hold for a wee while yet!) ..

'Page 99, by Joe Bancroft' is what I call my 'factional' story (a mix of fact and fiction) of a young Manchester lad who lands his dream job as a press photographer on a local newspaper. It took me about five years to write, edit and finally self-publish on Amazon but, oh boy, has it been worth it. The reviews and comments I'm receiving are like honey to my heart, and it's fascinating to see how the book hits readers in different ways. There's been lots of 'laughing out loud',  lumps in the throat and sadness at the way Joe Bancroft's life progresses, and one reader even told me it related to her own experiences of dealing with dementia and COPD ..

 I now have five 'five-star' reviews on Amazon's website, and sales from as far afield as the USA, New Zealand and Australia. Requests for signed copies from friends and family are always a delight, too ..

I apologise if I'm 'going on' about the book but, having enjoyed my position as author, I must now take on the role of the Marketing and PR department .. (Sales! Graphs! Units!) .. but, above all, I want to get the book out to as many people as I can - people who'll enjoy a good read, a good laugh, a heart-break or two and a warm look back at life at the end of the 1970s ..

Spread the word .. please!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reet chuffed ..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had a lovely afternoon in the village yesterday. Our library held an event called 'Partir en livre' .. basically 'Lose yourself in books' .. and, very flatteringly, I was asked if I'd join several (real) authors to give a reading from my books. (One writer was a friend who topped the Sunday Times fiction list when her book came out last year).  In the end, I managed two chapters from 'Page 99, by Joe Bancroft' before I was squeezed by the schedules (ouch) and had to forget about reading from my children's book 'Swapsies' ..

But what a 'novel' experience it was. I got some great feedback and even shifted a few units to add to my million-seller target. (How lovely to be asked to sign the books, too.) To top it all, one lady said "Loved the Book Fest. Great readings from Martin, super book, loved listening to it in Martin’s northern accent .. "

Eeh, that made me reet chuffed, that did!

 

 

Hooked from Page One ..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"I was hooked from the first page .." So begins a lovely message from a new reader of my book "Page 99, by Joe Bancroft'. "Joe is wonderful .." she continues. "I laughed and I cried. So many people will be able to relate to this book in so many ways."

Well, what more can I add, dear blog fan? Constantly trying to think of new ways to market my book, I can do no better than relay her words to you, and hope they move you enough to buy the book. (Think how you'll boast when it finally comes out as a film. "Oh yes, I was one of the first to read it, you know?")

Pleasing for me was the fact that this person found "it was an eye opener to read about the life of a press photographer" (though relax ..  it's not a book about press photography) and, best of all, she describes my work as "a real person telling it how it was .."

I am very flattered! Very flattered indeed ..

 

 

2.2.22

It struck me the other day that I haven't written anything here for a while and so, when I got onto this site, I was surprised to see that, this month alone, eighteen people have already read my blog .. and we're only two days into the month. (And that's without even writing anything since last November!) So I got all pretentious and precious and thought that I must write something new today, simply to please 'all' those interested people.

What to write about was a different matter. (Things are pretty quiet around here these days!) My photography consists only of Instagram posts showing leaves and frost and trees - and, of course, I haven't shot a wedding for a long, long time - so I'm hardly in a position to blow your mind with any new photographic insight.

And then it struck me. Today is 2.2.22 and if that's not reason enough to write a blog then what is? Now then, I've had this picture of my Dad on my computer screen for quite a while now. (He's sticking up TWO fingers! See what I did, there?) The reason for the image is that I've written a book that's kinda, sorta based on the years I spent sharing a flat with him, so I've looked at it a lot when I've been searching for words to put down. It's called 'Page 99, by Joe Bancroft', and I'm very, very, very, very proud of it. Getting anyone else to show any interest in it is another matter altogether. I've now submitted it to .. get this .. eighty-nine literary agents without a sniff of anyone wanting to take it forward. (Make that 90 .. I've literally had another rejection this afternoon!) But keep trying, I hear you say. Think of J.K. Rowling. Well, I've thought about her and it doesn't help in the slightest, thank you very much. No, I think my next move might have to be self-publication. Amazon Kindle beckons, and I'll let you know when I hit my first million.

If anyone out there .. anyone! .. is interested in reading my book then please let me know here. It's all about music, looking for chicks .. oh, and press photography .. and is funny, sad, historically interesting and a fab look at the shared lives of two working-class blokes in 1970s Manchester.

As with all 'authors' I feel that, once it lands in the right place, my book will prove to be very successful. When it is, I'll then unleash my second book on the world and try to get used to all the world renown. My second book? Yes, that's right. I've written TWO!