I’ll be doing a talk in Starbucks at Borders in Birstall, West Yorkshire on Tuesday 15th September 2009. The event starts at 7.30pm and will be followed by a Q & A session. It would be great to see you there, but please call the store on 01924 474914 as places need to be reserved.
I’ll be sigining copies of my paperback at Borders in Birstall from 2pm on Sunday 2nd August 2009. I look forward to seeing you there and please feel free to bring your copy to the store if you’d like me to sign it.
I received the wonderful news from my publisher, Scott Pack, whilst away on holiday that my paperback has been purchased by Tesco. It will be found in 491 stores across the UK from early August. Contrary to the company’s catch-phrase, this is a big help in getting my story to the mass market. Thank you Tesco!
Thursday 25th June 2009 was to be a day of celebration as the official release date of my paperback. The sudden death of the iconic king of pop Michael Jackson has overshadowed this and I dedicate this post to one of the most talented entertainers ever to grace the earth, the like of whom we are unlikely to see again.
Here’s my favourite Michael Jackson clip. It is not difficult to see why he is commended as one of the best singers, dancers, performers and entertainers of all time. He is the biggest selling artist ever.
It is with delight that I can confirm my paperback will be released on 25th June 2009. The hardback is doing fantastically well and I’m hoping the paperback will do even better.
Thanks for your continued support.
I read a very interesting article on the BBC News Website the other day which highlighted the number of police officers currently serving in England and Wales with criminal convictions. Chris Huhne, spokesman for the Liberal Democrats and even more worryingly, Shadow Home Secretary is reported to have said that ‘The public entrust the police with the use of legal force precisely because they are self-disciplined and restrained, which is why anyone convicted of a violent offence should be dismissed.’ I would be very keen to sit down with Huhne and have him tell me to my face that he thinks it is justified that I lost my job after having my face smashed in by the local thug who repeatedly punched me until my tooth crumbled in my mouth as I tried to arrest him in the course of my police duties. The force I used to defend myself rendered him uninjured. My conviction resulted in my dismissal yet this report suggests that this need not have been automatic as a senior officer within West Yorkshire Police had intimated when he dismissed me. Out of 52 forces asked, 41 gave the Liberal Democrats a breakdown of its figures relating to police convictions. Of this 41 forces, there are 1063 officers serving with convictions. West Yorkshire Police did not disclose any information in the survey.
I would appeal Mr Huhne to read about my case, and then make comment about my dismissal. It is all too easy for the likes of him to make critical judgements of officers who face the most difficult circumstances on a daily basis.
I have been criminalised because I defended myself from a drunken maniac and the conviction has had wide-reaching affects on my life to this day. Suggesting that any officer with a conviction is a ‘bad apple’ makes him, if you’ll pardon the pun, ignorant to the core. His comments have incensed my family and I after I was out dealing with the most violent people society has to offer trying to protect the likes of him. I would appeal to him to apply more thought (within his clearly very limited experience in this area) about individual cases before making the ridiculous assertions that he has done. I can only hope that all my readers, who have been unwaivering in their support, read this and never vote his party in, as the thought of someone like him becoming Home Secretary is truly frightening.
I decided long before my book was published that anyone who took the trouble to email me would get a personal response. I am pretty sure that I’ve succeeded in my aim and I’d like to thank everyone again for the very much appreciated emails of support, of which I have had over a thousand since my book launch in October last year. What’s even more humbling is that I have not had a single one that has condemned my actions. I’m glad my readers are able to see this for what it is. I still question the judiciary as to what it hoped to achieve by criminalising me. The retributive and adversarial agenda helped no one. It cost the tax payer tens if not hundreds of thousands of pounds and as a result two people were convicted and compensated out of the same incident.
On a very positive note – Things are moving on the appeal front. It’s a slow process, but I hope to be able to report something very soon. I have also had a sneak preview of the script being written from my book for the screen. It looks fantastic and really brings the story back to life.
I’ll be signing books at Borders, Birstall on Sunday 1st February 2009. The last event was a massive success and I’m delighted to be going back there. It will run from 1pm – 3pm. I hope you can make it and feel free to bring in your own copy to the store for signing as well.
WATERSTONE’S, LEEDS
Thursday, 5 February 2009, 7:00PM
Come and join us for our third gathering of Leeds authors, as they discuss their work on the hidden, darker side of the city. Also appearing: Susan Everett, Michael Bunting and Caroline Smailes. Chaired by Kester Aspden. Free, but please book.
Further details: 0113 2444588