Phil Simpkin
I am a retired Police Officer, and for several years, I have been researching what my home town of Leicester, England, would have been like in early Victorian times, circa 1850.
So interesting have been my discoveries, that what was planned to be a 'one off' novel, about the town, has become a 'series'.
The first novel in the series, 'Jack ketch's Puppets' starts the line off in Leicester of 1850.
The second book in the series,'Death lurks in Cock Muck Hill', a novella, of 102 pages, was published on 10th June 2013.
Book three, 'Without Fear or Favour' was published in late 2016.
Book four 'A few silver threads' was published in June 2021.
I have also self published a collection of short folk tales, 'Leicestershire Myth & Legend - in verse', which is made up of folk lyrics and stories I have written over the last few years. These are only originally written for my grandkids, and the book as a test for self-publishing media.
I hope you enjoy my work!
“On a summers night, I have sat on the balcony drinking Ouzo, watching the ghosts of Greek Heroes sailing past, listening to the rustle of their sail cloths and the gentle lapping of their oars...and lain alongside Pythagoras watching him study the myriad of triangles in the constellations twinkling above us.Whether it was Crete, the heat, the Ouzo, or a combination, it is unequalled anywhere other than Santorini, in my humble opinion.”
“Self publishing' is not as easy as it is portrayed! When you think you have finished your book, proof read, proof read again, and again, and again. Don't believe it is ready until you have a hard copy proofed!”