John M W Smith
A writer who has had many stories published in the women's weekly magazines and literary journals, John was drawn to writing at an early age. At one time in his teenage years he was reading one book a day---the subject didn't matter, but it needed to grab his interest in the first couple of pages, or he would abandon it. And this is the rule he has since applied to all his writing, believing that if you haven't grabbed the reader straight away, you are not writing well enough.. After graduating with an Honors Degree in History he spent many years in academic publishing, at last leaving to pursue his long-held dream of becoming a writer. "Easily among the very best new writers we have seen", "fresh and original", "creates life-like characters---maybe too life-like" (whatever that means!), are some of the comments made by literary reviewers and consultants about his work. His favorite band is The Moody Blues.
Where are you from?
I'm from Oxford, in England.
How long have you been writing?
I’ve forgotten. A few years, I guess....
Read more of this interview.
Strange Times; Wacky Anecdotes
by John M W Smith
(5.00 from 1 review)
Over the past year I made a series of posts on my blog to relate incidents from my life so far. Encouraged by the interest that they aroused, I decided to compile them into a free ebook to reach even more readers and this, then, is the result of my efforts.
Learner Driver
by John M W Smith
(5.00 from 3 reviews)
Paul has so much to offer as a future husband that Maggie would be crazy not to fight for it---particularly as their attraction is mutual! But now, as Paul is giving her a driving lesson, it seems like Maggie has ruined it all. Will their budding romance survive the driving lesson from hell?
This Wacky Story is intended to showcase this author's series of twist-in-the-tale short stories.
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Fallen Angel - Prequel To Nathaniel Teen Angel
on July 13, 2015
I believe that The Good Lord gave us a sense of humour on purpose. He knew how difficult it would be to face the "slings and arrows of outrageous fortune" that were coming our way. So what better survival tool than a sense of humour? And hasn't it been said often enough that laughter is the best medicine?
It is obvious from reading this book that the author and her creations have an excellent sense of humour. A sophisticated one. So they are doing nothing more than making full use of a God-given gift. One of the main reasons why we find it easy to believe in angels is because they are so much like human beings, and Devlin is nothing more and nothing less than a reflection of an amusing, very human, human being. If, in the hereafter, I could achieve even a fraction of the heady freedom and abilities that Devlin possesses, well, I can hardly wait! I mean, who wouldn't want to skyrocket over the Pacific Ocean at night! I love this writer's zany sense of humour which, coupled by a fertile imagination makes the narrative soar to all the heights that Devlin could ever hope to reach using his "dusky wings"! And I've always fancied the idea of guardian angels. It's also a great idea to suppose that the male angel could fall in love with a female human being to an extent when he would want to be her protector for evermore! A thoroughly enjoyable read!
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Star-Crossed Rascals
on Oct. 16, 2015
This is a book of childhood reminiscences in the form of anecdotes from the author's life, told from her own point of view when she was around seven years of age. I smiled throughout and laughed out loud after every few pages. It is so eventful, so funny and so naturally depicted that one cannot doubt its authenticity. Childhood should be filled with thrills of all kinds, and Patricia Puddle's childhood does not disappoint. I mean, how many children find themselves all alone on a leaking boat, heading downstream in the dark, with no imaginable prospect of rescue until a helicopter appears, spotlight blazing, to lower a man who scoops you away to safety?
I find it so sad that parents of young children in this age group mostly select books that they think their children should read rather than the kind that kids really want to read. For I am sure that if the children for whom this book was written had a totally free choice, it is a book like this that they would select--but their parents, with their stodgy ideas about good education, good behaviour and what is proper, would probably select something dead boring and depressingly wholesome which would make their kids' eyes glaze over after a few pages. And then parents wonder why their kids lose the reading habit that they were so anxious to instil!
A good book for children doesn't always have to have subliminal messages about morality, generosity, altruism, and sacrifice within its pages. It can equally be just funny and engaging and nothing else, as this book is. The idea is to make a book an enjoyable read, full of fun and laughter, and Double Trouble delivers this in more than sufficient measure. For example, how very liberating it must feel for a child to be able to push away a nauseating tripe pie prepared by a tyrannical aunt and instead dine on an entire bottle of tomato sauce!
There is no bigger compliment I can pay this book than to say that having read it, kids will most definitely go in search of similar books to read. Spontaneously. On their own initiative. And I'm sorry, but the same may not be said so easily about some books that their parents might have selected as being most appropriate for them. I think some of the sketches could be slightly improved upon, but this very minor criticism does not detract from the quality of the book as a whole. It is so obvious that the author very much enjoyed writing about this series of hilarious and often amazing events from childhood, and that she very competently communicates this enjoyment to her readers. If any artistic licence has been taken with the depiction of some of the events, it is hard to put one's finger on it for sure--and again this is a tribute to this author's talent.
Go on, give your kids a laugh, buy this book. It will linger long in their memories