My signed books are available at St Columba's Hospice shop at Ocean Terminal, Leith and their bookshop at Canonmills, Edinburgh
The people there are doing great work for the hospice and the amazing support that they provide.
Feel free to drop in and check out all the other nice gifts and goods they have.
#tpy
In March 2018, This Past Year was first released on Amazon. The first version of the book cover featured a simple image taken behind the wheel, as Charlie so often found himself there.
Not only did the freedom of the open road always give him an escape, he was always the one to the rescue, always the first to provide aid - to whoever was in need.
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Charlie is a covert sufferer of PTSD, which is a very real and distressful affliction of many ex-servicemen. In the book, alcoholism is one of his vices. He's desperate to find comfort in something else rather than the bottom of a bottle. It may just be that he finds that someone to throw all his attention at, but does it bring him comfort, or just more conflict?
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#bktd
An early draft of the cover for Bangkok Teardrops. The photo was taken at Ratchada 'Rod Fai' Train Night Market.
It used to be one of the most popular hang out spots in Bangkok, featuring bars, stalls and one of the most important aspects of Thai culture - food. It closed down during the covid pandemic but a new market 'Jodd Fairs' has opened in it's place.
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The name of the book was inspired by the social media handle of the person who the character Amm is based on.
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Bangkok's full name is:
Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Ayuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit
Quite often it is referred to just as Krung Thep, or Krung Thep Mahanakhon, which means 'City of Angels'.
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#pasg
"I'm really excited to be writing a novel based in Singapore. It's well known for being a coveted destination, and I'm fortunate enough to have spent an extended amount of time there. It really let me see all the other parts of Singapore, which are not accessible from a quick city break."
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Philip first visited Singapore in 2012, but unfortunately he was merely passing through. Singapore is synonymous around the world, and he was also taken in by the beauty of the small nation.
Over the years he'd visited many times until eventually living there for a short time. That time spent in Singapore gave him insight beyond the casual tourist, beyond the wayward traveller, to another side of Singapore he'd never seen before.
This is has inspired him to write his third novel, Park Avenue, SG, which is currently in it's first draft.
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One of the themes in #pasg is the lives of foreign workers. Those from other parts of South East Asia who move to Singapore to earn a good living. It sounds simple...but it's not.
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