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Colin Neville

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first registered 30.07.11

last online 1 hour ago

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about me

I left school as soon as I could and worked as a salesman, clerk, railway cop, careers adviser, and community worker before getting my head and education act together as a mature student through the Open University and their degree study programmes. So for the last 20+ years I've worked as a lecturer in higher education, although I dropped from full-time to part-time work in 2007.

Leaving full-time work in 2007 gave me more time and energy to write and I have had four non-fiction books published (on education topics and local history) see linkedin profile, if interested.

My novel, 'Millstone', was published in February and was based on a number of well-publicised events (see 'thetelegraphand...'website link). Recently I have concentrated on writing plays for radio and short stories - four of the shorts have been published by Ether Books.

When not writing, I'm to be found in my garden growing veg, walking on Ilkley Moor (I live in Yorkshire, near Bradford), cooking, or looking after grand-children. I also have my own online bookselling business, selling independent press,limited edition and fine art monographs online via ABE.Com.

About friend requests - the way to make friends is to get to know each other first. The best way to do that is to swop reads with me, and give me honest feedback; I will do the same for you.

favourite books


I read everything, even the labels on soup cans. Favourite author? Mary Webb, if I had to choose.

my websites

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/colin-neville/16/16b/b     http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/local/l

HarperCollins is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Self-publish with CreateSpace

my books

Damaged Goods

Colin Neville

Short stories about ordinary people struggling with life.


We are all, in our own ways, 'Damaged Goods'.
Spanning from the 1950s to the present day, the fears, frailties, confusions - and bravery - of being human are presented in these tales. Your money back if you don't like them.

Nine stories loaded so far. The period, titles and chapter numbers, as follows:

1950s childhood themes: 'The Choice' (1); 'Jennings' (2); 'Quiet Wedding' (3).

1960s & 1970s stories available or in preparation.

1980s: 'Secrets' (4); 'Best Friend' (5).

1990s: In preparation.

21st century: 'Skin Deep' (6); 'Hero' (7); 'Home for Christmas' (8); 'No Cycling' (9).

The different periods reflect the social issues of the time: 1950s attitudes to faith education, sex offenders, or child rearing; 1970s and 80s responses to unemployment or threats of redundancies; and anti social behaviour, attitudes to authority, and gender roles in more recent times. But the stories are essentially about individuals and their responses to events around them.

(I hope you will read some of these, and if so perhaps you could choose at random across the different time periods).

 

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latest

SusanMK wrote 22 hours ago

Sadly I'm now an expat in London!

SusanMK wrote 23 hours ago

Hi there, as a fellow Yorkshire person (schooled in Guiseley) I'd lov....

ewils22 wrote 1 day ago

Hi Colin, thank you so much for your comment on 'We All Fall Down' it....

JennyWren wrote 1 day ago

You are so welcome Colin. I will try to leave it on my shelf for a fe....

ewils22 wrote 2 days ago

Hi Colin, Yes! The rumours are true! Where abouts are you from? I'....

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my comments

latest

I wrote 1 day ago

'We All Fall Down' is written in a first person journal style that gradually reveals the troubled life of the narrator. I read six chapters and will return to finish the others The narrator's insecurities are masked by her front of brittle, self-deprecating humour and wry takes on life. I part... view book

I wrote 2 days ago

The narrator's cynical humour and wry asides on life are the selling points for this book. Marc Jones's book captures the post-post-graduate world very well indeed, with all its rivalries and hopes dashed or raised. The dialogue is excellent, and there are some great descriptions of people and their... view book

I wrote 2 days ago

I liked the edgy undercurrent to the two chapters, particularly the scenes in the old house and in the guarded way Sarah is treated by the parishioners. You capture the middle stages of dementia really well: sensitive and accurate in its depiction, and the portrait of Mary, the old lady, as a whole... view book

I wrote 3 days ago

I read two stories from this collection: 'The Twins' and 'Emma'. Both are well-crafted, interesting and engaging, with themes (to me, anyway) of loss and transience in both. The author has an eye for telling detail that helps the reader to visualise the scene and understand the motives of the main... view book

I wrote 3 days ago

This is a very powerful account of the lives of children taken into care by the Australian government. Paul's account of his time at the Home under the 'care' of the nuns was appalling, although not completely surprising to anyone who attended a school run by nuns in the 50s or earlier. However,... view book

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