Danny,
The last word will never be written on WW2, Richard Overy has recently published a new book on Bomber Command. The appetite is there and your story is definitely worth telling. Maybe get a ghost writer (please?).

Chinney Crewman (#163),

My story is out on "Pilot's Brevet" Thread for all who want to read it. It is not a tale of
heroics and "derring-do", which is what a publisher needs for a proper "War Book" to sell.
If I were tempted to self-publish (which, "thank the Lord I'm not sir !"), I would go the Kindle wayto limit my losses.

War Books are still, as you say, being published - but are they being sold ? The clientele will probably be limited to the few of the old-timers who are here already. Look around, how many of our own members are under 50 ?

Over all, I'm too old and too frail to bother any more ! Sorry, Chinney.

Danny.

So you say, Danny. Others may differ. :ok: :D

Indeed. We have had the privilege, over the last few years, of sharing the 'ordinary' existence of a man who went through extraordinary things [rarely recorded, AFAIK] .. and narrated in an impeccable style. :ok:

To ask Danny, at this stage, to write a book may, perhaps, be asking the gentleman just a little too much. But we, we happy few, have been able to bounce along with his landings [many of which were successful] and watch him transfer from the Gods of the Sky to the irascible Gods of the Ground [ATC]. The tales are told with humility and wit, as befits his heritage, and have enlightened and entertained our smoky cyber-crewroom beyond measure.

Right, Danny, that's your ration of flattery for this week ;)

It's a bit of a cheat, but if you can't face putting pen to paper - and let's face it, none of us really enjoyed writing essays or we probably wouldn't be here! - there are people who will do it for you on the basis of sitting down with you and talking over your life, what you've got up to etc. You talk, they listen and write, you approve and job done, book published. I believe they are often used by people wanting to pass a story down through the family, but I'm sure others have gone to print in a more commercial sense. I know we don't do advertising here, but I'm sure a quick search along the lines of 'we write your biography' would turn something up. And it'd be one heck of a read!

I was hoping that someone would give truth to the story about an instructor asking a student who seemed to be confused about his altitude:

"well, are the cows getting bigger ?"

It's very unfortunate what you say is true in the commercial world Danny of publishing, but there would be a market, how large is difficult to tell.

A lad from our area flew Hurricanes in the Western Desert and was shot down over Sarajevo later in the war while flying a Spitfire. Became POW and liberated by the Russian and spent best part of a year in their custody before repatriation and demobbing.

Came home to return to his previous life of farming. Died an early death, a result of dysentery after effects suffered in the Western Desert. Used to foul the bed every night his wife wrote. Pilots used to fly just wearing shorts, canopy open due heat, and cockpit would be covered in faeces on return, such was their state. A snippet you wouldn't read in a commercial venture I dare say.

His wife wrote and self published a little compendium of paperback size. No great tales of daring do or heroics in the usually accepted sense, just the story of a bloke like yourself who answered the call, and performed his duty as was asked of him. You do have a story to tell, as elicited in your thread, and one which we doff our caps to. You do have a flair for words Danny, and their use. Every time an individual passes a library burns down.

Albert Facey, author of "A Fortunate Life", thought he was just putting down a few words for his children and grandchildren. It turned out to be one of the best books of its genre. I'm sure yours would be the same, Danny.

Danny: I'm below the half century mark and make it my mission to get at least one war or mil related book per birthday and Xmas. Carpe Liber and all that..................

BossEyed (#165) and MPN11 (#166),

Thank you both for the kind words - and I can lap up any amount of flattery. Keep it up , MPN11 !

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Melchett01 (#167),

Quote:
Originally Posted by Chinny Crewman

..."Danny,. Maybe get a ghost writer (please?). - there are people who will do it for you on the basis of sitting down with you and talking over your life, what you've got up to etc"...

That's as may be. But do I want him "sitting down with me and talking over my life ?" No I damn' well don't !

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Hydromet (#170),

..."It turned out to be one of the best books of its genre. I'm sure yours would be the same, Danny"...

Thanks for the compliment, but I rather doubt it !

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son of brommers (#171),

..."Danny: I'm below the half century mark"...

"One swallow doth not a summer make" (Aristotle).

..."and make it my mission to get at least one war or mil related book per birthday and Xmas. Carpe Liber and all that" .......

..."my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end"...
(Ecclesiastes 12:12 Parallel Verses King James Version).

(At my age, "Carpe Diem" is more appropriate. No one on "Pilot's Brevet" has made 96 yet AFAIK - keep your fingers crossed).

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My thanks to you all for your interest - but, once and for all, I ain't doin' it ! Sorry !

Danny.