Lots of authors release their books about this time of the year for the Christmas market, I am no different. Also, a number of writers serialise parts of their books in national newspapers. Here, I would like to give you just a taster of my life story.
I must warn you, there are a number of upsetting incidents that could have the more emotional of you in tears.
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I grew up in Bristol, you may know that it was one of the cities targeted by German bombers, my parents would discipline me by saying "If you are naughty, the nasty Germans will come and get you". With that sort of threat I was a well behaved boy. You have heard the phrase "a sheltered unbringing" ~ mine was ~ mainly in the Anderson shelter, occasionally the bus shelter.
(I originally wrote "sheletered upbringing" but that was a spelling mistake).
I thought my parents were kind, their first thought was of my welfare and I recall them putting me on a steam train at Horfield, with my gas mask, a small leather case with my belongings and a name tag around my collar (of a name I didn't recognise ~ Tony Hobden).
I was alone and lost when the train pulled into Temple Meads, a kind railway porter took me to one side and I explained why I was there. He pointed out that it was 1953 and the war had been over for 8 years.
A sibling of my mum's recognised my picture in the Evening Post and started to look after me. The smell of chewing tobacco, naval tattoos on arms, army tattoos on the navel, grey stubble on the chin bring back memories of these times, I imagine most people have aunts like that.
To follow:
Bullying in school, how lucrative it became.
