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Write that Book

Posted: Wed Mar 30, 2022 8:12am
7 replies240 views4 members subscribed
Matthew

Matthew

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Whenever I need some humour I read some if not all of A Year in Provence (Peter Mayle). It's my perfect choice for reading by an author who adapted Provence as his home from (UK) home. Peter Mayle died some years ago, but left us with some entertaining writing. I don't know of any similar work written by somebody in Costa Almería, but as somebody keeps saying in one of those I want to be an Entrepreneur television programmes there is an obvious gap in the market. 

(Perhaps this has already been done? - If so, please advise). There are some good writers on this forum and I feel writing a fact based humorous book on the trials and tribulations of buying/setting-up/building property is not beyond them. Comments please!

Markyb

Posted: Wed Mar 30, 2022 1:20pm

Posts: 50

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Joined: 18 Apr 2017

Posted: Wed Mar 30, 2022 1:20pm

Matthew wrote on Wed Mar 30, 2022 8:12am:

Whenever I need some humour I read some if not all of A Year in Provence (Peter Mayle). It's my perfect choice for reading by an author who adapted Provence as his home from (UK) home. Peter Mayle died some years ago, but left us with some entertaining writing. I don't know of any similar work wr...

...itten by somebody in Costa Almería, but as somebody keeps saying in one of those I want to be an Entrepreneur television programmes there is an obvious gap in the market. 

(Perhaps this has already been done? - If so, please advise). There are some good writers on this forum and I feel writing a fact based humorous book on the trials and tribulations of buying/setting-up/building property is not beyond them. Comments please!

Driving over lemons

By chris Stewart is a lovely read. 

Alicia 11

Posted: Wed Mar 30, 2022 2:17pm

Alicia 11

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Posted: Wed Mar 30, 2022 2:17pm

Matthew if I wrote a book about the saga of our illegal purchased villa and the various escapades of the Spanish builders at the time some of which had to be seen to be believed!  (One Christmas feeling sorry for them we gave them 2 old plastic chairs to sit on when they had their lunch, they promptly put them on their fire to keep warm with lots of nice toxic black smoke!!! ) we would not be believed that it was fact not fiction.  Another time we wanted a cement driveway so while our backs were turned and the car in our garage they dug up the area and started to lay the cement wearing trainers to walk in it!  Not to mention the solicitors we had the first one took money up front and did nothing the second knew nothing but charged more and tried to double charge several times for the same things.  thankfully we escaped the trap and now live on Mojacar playa in a fully legal property with the help of a really good solicitor.   

Matthew

Posted: Wed Mar 30, 2022 2:22pm

Matthew

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Posted: Wed Mar 30, 2022 2:22pm

Alicia 11 wrote on Wed Mar 30, 2022 2:17pm:

Matthew if I wrote a book about the saga of our illegal purchased villa and the various escapades of the Spanish builders at the time some of which had to be seen to be believed!  (One Christmas feeling sorry for them we gave them 2 old plastic chairs to sit on when they had their lunch, the...

...y promptly put them on their fire to keep warm with lots of nice toxic black smoke!!! ) we would not be believed that it was fact not fiction.  Another time we wanted a cement driveway so while our backs were turned and the car in our garage they dug up the area and started to lay the cement wearing trainers to walk in it!  Not to mention the solicitors we had the first one took money up front and did nothing the second knew nothing but charged more and tried to double charge several times for the same things.  thankfully we escaped the trap and now live on Mojacar playa in a fully legal property with the help of a really good solicitor.   

Alicia. That's exactly what I am suggesting. I'm sure a few of the posters on here (including me) could knock our heads together and come up with a best-seller especially after a few bottles of tinto. There are a few obvious posters that we'd have to keep at arms length though - it's not like me to mention names. But, HartCJHart would be one good writer and I bet he has lots to share too. Dario could be a good prospect along with James and Maureen. JimH would be quite an addition to the group. We'd probably need a few Spaniards too and no problem if they wish to contribute in Spanish.  I know the Brexiteers wouldn't be able to respond to anything written or said in Spanish, but c'est la vie.

I forgot to mention Juliet Diaz would be a good addition to the writing troupe along with Biggles. We can do without ultra-cynical Bryan for a start though.

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hartcjhart

Posted: Fri Apr 1, 2022 11:06pm

hartcjhart

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Posted: Fri Apr 1, 2022 11:06pm

Matty a good read very funny very sad at times with a great insight into moving to Spain is by an author Peter Kerr,I think there were 2/3 books in the series but 1 is called Snowball Oranges

Myra

Posted: Mon Apr 4, 2022 9:39am

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Posted: Mon Apr 4, 2022 9:39am

hartcjhart wrote on Fri Apr 1, 2022 11:06pm:

Matty a good read very funny very sad at times with a great insight into moving to Spain is by an author Peter Kerr,I think there were 2/3 books in the series but 1 is called Snowball Oranges

I think there were 4 books by Peter Kerr they were excellent. Snowballs and Oranges the first wish I still had them but lost over the years.

juanida

Posted: Mon Apr 4, 2022 9:09pm

juanida

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Posted: Mon Apr 4, 2022 9:09pm

Here I've listed a few titles to cheer you up Matthew.

You mention you'd like to read something about Almeria specifically, so I would recommend, 'A Foreign Affair' (Two Innocents Abroad in Spain) by Shaun Bailey.  I found this a very amusing read, and especially interesting as it does centre on Almeria. 

Then, although the author is writing about France, 'Perfume from Provence' by Lady Fortescue is a lovely read. Set in the early 1930's, Winifred Fortescue and Sir John her husband, moved to Provence for health reasons to a small stone house amid olive groves near Grasse.  It's a charming account of a way of life that probably no longer exists. 

I would also recommend Annie Hawes books about her life in a cottage in Liguria which are well written and I found very funny. 

Last but not least are Carol Drinkwater's (Helen, of 'All Creatures Great and Small'), Olive Farm series.  Not exactly funny books but definately worth reading if you haven't done so  already.

My childhood ambition was to be a successful writer, but I have to confess to having been one of life's great  procrastinators and now there are not enough hours in the day to finish all I have left undone! 

Matthew

Posted: Mon Apr 4, 2022 9:36pm

Matthew

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Posted: Mon Apr 4, 2022 9:36pm

juanida wrote on Mon Apr 4, 2022 9:09pm:

Here I've listed a few titles to cheer you up Matthew.

You mention you'd like to read something about Almeria specifically, so I would recommend, 'A Foreign Affair' (Two Innocents Abroad in Spain) by Shaun Bailey.  I found this a very amusing read, and especially interesting as it does centre on Almeria. ...

...

Then, although the author is writing about France, 'Perfume from Provence' by Lady Fortescue is a lovely read. Set in the early 1930's, Winifred Fortescue and Sir John her husband, moved to Provence for health reasons to a small stone house amid olive groves near Grasse.  It's a charming account of a way of life that probably no longer exists. 

I would also recommend Annie Hawes books about her life in a cottage in Liguria which are well written and I found very funny. 

Last but not least are Carol Drinkwater's (Helen, of 'All Creatures Great and Small'), Olive Farm series.  Not exactly funny books but definately worth reading if you haven't done so  already.

My childhood ambition was to be a successful writer, but I have to confess to having been one of life's great  procrastinators and now there are not enough hours in the day to finish all I have left undone! 

Thank You Juanida.  Nice post. I'll get and read them.

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