Donors raise £1200 for charity

The last few months have been hectic, with the launch of my 3rd book, A Storm On Any Course. To celebrate the launch of the final book in the Zander Trilogy, and my retiral from writing, we put out an offer to not only purchase a copy, but to also have their names printed at the rear of the book, under the title of Donors. All money received would be donated to our nominated charity, Get2gether. (They arrange social activities for people with disabilities in safe and friendly places in Edinburgh and the Lothians). With very limited access available, due … Continue reading Donors raise £1200 for charity

A Penalty Drop  –  Liberton

A few days later, Zander and Grunt had a second encounter with the local “ball boys”. A group of elderly visitors were playing immediately ahead of them. No one had thought to tell them about the problem posed by the local children and blissfully unaware of this on-course hazard, they had started out. Zander and Grunt hung around the starter’s box until the last group had teed off, then followed them out onto the course. They played the long downhill first without incident, then as they teed up on the short par-four second –  which runs parallel to and in … Continue reading A Penalty Drop  –  Liberton

Background to the Sample story

I wanted to share some background to the sample story from my upcoming book, A Storm On Any Course. The main two components of this Sample story happened in other and quite different places. 1     The collapse of the motor bike line happened during a parade day in Rome. The riders, all policemen, had parked their bikes just as described and gone off to act as crowd marshals. I did not see what started it, however I did witness the spectacular and noisy domino effect of the bikes falling down! 2     The seagull was hit by a lone … Continue reading Background to the Sample story

Sample story

Taken from my upcoming book A Storm On Any Course, the final chapter of Zander’s Trilogy. A Birdie  – Melville Golf Centre Zander’s leg was improving by the day, but wasn’t yet strong enough to let him walk out to the practice areas in the middle of the course, let alone get all the way round and, with the club’s driving range out of commission for at least another two weeks, how was he going to hold his game together? Then he thought about going to a public driving range and heard someone talking about, The Melville Golf Centre on the … Continue reading Sample story

Have your name in my book – limited offer date closes 16th September

A Storm on Any Course -the 3rd and final book of Zander’s Trilogy. BUY MY BOOK AND HAVE YOUR NAME PRINTED INSIDE IT ALL PROCEEDS TO CHARITY To celebrate the completion of the Zander Trilogy I –  Johnny Jones, an 86year old Edinburgh author – will be donating the profits from a special limited edition of its third and final book, A Storm on Any Course, to the charity get2gether (SC043027). This is a small group of dedicated volunteers who provide a vital service to the communities of Edinburgh and The Lothians by helping Disabled Adults to find friendship and … Continue reading Have your name in my book – limited offer date closes 16th September

Change of Book Title!

Late in the day I know, but something wasn’t sitting right for me in connection with the Title of my 3rd book, therefore I have decided to change it from A Storm in a Tin Cup to A Storm on any Course. My wife and I have been reading and re-reading until the cows come home, so we are at a stage that should see the book sent off ready for printing, finally this summer. As many of you know, each time we read the stories, we find ‘things’ to change and then end up changing them back again! Easy … Continue reading Change of Book Title!

High Jinks on the High Seas!

Now some of you must be wondering what is fact and what is fiction from reading the stories about Zander and his crew, throughout my first two books in the Zander Trilogy. I can tell you that the following ‘trick’ is based on fact, however the names of those responsible will never be revealed! In my second book More Ports More Storms, the crew decide to have some ‘fun’ with a rival skipper of another nearby yacht, as part of an on-going fued with Zander. After enticing the rival and his crew ashore to have a peace-making drink in Tobermory, … Continue reading High Jinks on the High Seas!

Iona Abbey and Beyond

From the second book of the Zander Trilogy, More Ports More Storms, chapter 12, Zander and his crew’s itinery was set to take in a number of beautiful places on the West coast of Scotland, aboard their ‘borrowed’ 45 foot luxury yacht, the Fast Lady. The following places were included in their planned trip: The Sound of Mull, Iona Abbey, Ganavan Bay near Oban and Loch Buie Iona Abbey is an abbey located on the island of Iona, just off the Isle of Mull on the West Coast of Scotland. It is one of the oldest Christian religious centres in … Continue reading Iona Abbey and Beyond

Fastest promotion ever!

Excerpt taken from Chapter 4, Do it in style get out fast, in More Ports More Storms; On one occasion, by virtue of an unpredicted passage through the transit area of an airport in a war zone, the army awarded him a Campaign Medal for active service there.  This went some way to make up for the one denied him by the sea scouts.  In a service career littered with ups and downs, Zander experienced occasional minor ‘ups’, but principally major ‘downs’, the most significant down being his spell of two years National Service, that put his professional career on … Continue reading Fastest promotion ever!

No No No -Yes – Waverley Station Edinburgh

Are you sitting comfortably?  Good.  I am about to tell you a series of stories about the adventures of one extraordinary man, and believe me – you do want to be sitting down for this. Yes, I know you have heard many stories before, exciting stories, thrilling stories, stories that set your heart pounding and your blood racing.  However, these particular stories are different.  They are funny ones that make your heart sing; your body convulse with laughter and leave you to enjoy a warm contented glow.  You may think yourself a veteran of the works of tellers of tales … Continue reading No No No -Yes – Waverley Station Edinburgh

Explosives and Jewellery!

There are loads of new short stories in More Ports More Storms, my second book of the Zander Trilogy, and I wanted to share with you one such story which involved  Zander, many years before he got involved in Sailing. How much is Fiction, I will allow the reader to decide, but let me say that I was there and have the T-shirt to prove it! In the late 1960’s, Zander was training to be a Chartered Engineer and was required to work at a place called Harthill, where construction was underway to create the first Motorway Service Station in … Continue reading Explosives and Jewellery!

Sailing home

For anyone who has sailed a boat, anywhere in the world, the joys of heading into a berth for the night, after an exhausting experience is very welcome. To view the scenery, on the route whether familiar or not, stays with you forever. “Late afternoon found the despondent Emeraldeers south east of Arran puttering up the Firth of Clyde in almost flat calm conditions, the sun scattering diamond like reflection on the surface of the sea. Their intended route would take them between Bute and the Cumbraes, past Wemyss Bay, with Dunoon on the port side then turning to starboard … Continue reading Sailing home