Alan Neatby-Smith
alan.neatby-smith@tesco.net
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About My Writing
In reading a friend’s boyhood memoirs and saying
to myself “I could do that!”, I suppose I opted
for what is almost certainly the easiest genre
for beginners. As a retired accountant, I had
done my fair share of pen pushing and it is
hardly surprising that my first effort was hand
written. However, "A Long Eaton Boyhood" was
accepted by return of post and has since been re
printed. "Escape to South Africa" has also just
seen the light of day and, in between times, I
was finally successful in my efforts to have
"Some Radical Thoughts for the Confused
Christian" published. There are currently two
small books of HUMOROUS SATIRE awaiting
illustration before being presented to my
Publisher and I am nearly half-way through my 59
years as "A Furriner in Cornwall".
As a generally unknown published author in my
91st year, my chief concern is to work towards
more co-operation among similarly unknown
writers, with a view to publication outside
mercenary main-line publishers.
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Authors' Register:
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| About Me
Born mid-WW1 into a family with very strong dental traditions, I was blessed with a butterfly
mind and cursed with a non-retention memory. That my father was an excellent dental surgeon,
but a rotten businessman did not help and, with three siblings and the doldrums of the 1960s,
there were no funds for tertiary education.
Hence, after matriculation, I was invited by my father to think about earning a living and
it so happened that one of his patients – a young chartered accountant – was looking for his
first articled clerk. Being naïve, I accepted my father’s suggestion and signed on the dotted
line. However, although things started reasonably well, two near fatal illnesses half way
through my Articles effectively put paid to my studies and I failed to qualify.
WW2 and call-up having ensued, I was expecting to be rejected as a human wreck but, to my
amazement, was passed A1 and opted for the RAF. Although I would probably have been accepted
for Accountant Officer, I felt I needed a change, and being of a mechanical bent, opted for
Flight Mechanic. After six months training, Providence took me out of the war area to 66 Air
School at Cape Town, South Africa, this having provided the material for my third book.
In the meantime, I earned a post-war living as an accountant, working from home and
ministering to the tax affairs of locals who felt they could not afford town-accountants’
fees. Having felt in my 40s that I should have followed in father’s footsteps, I felt in my
80s that I should write, albeit without the slightest intention of achieving best-seller-dom.
At 90, I am still trying to shake off (not too hard) my last two accountancy clients in order
to give more time to the written word.
| Some of My Work
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A Long Eaton Boyhood
Genre: Non-fiction - Biography
Status: Available for Purchase
Read a Sample
Buy the Book
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I MIGHT as well come clean: there must be
hundreds of chaps better qualified than I, by
association let alone literary attainment, to
chronicle such an epoch-making event as the
early odyssey of a Long Eaton schoolboy.
For in a sense, although born in L.E. (as
distinct from L.A.!), I was removed while
still in nappies to Risley in 1917, remaining
there until my return to the local metropolis
in 1931. This translation from the impressive
Queen Anne mini-mansion known as the Latin
House, to my new home in the cul-de-sac of
Shakespeare Street must have been a pivotal
event in my boyhood.
Although the rateable value of No.55 S.S.,
L.E. may have been reduced by the much later
erection of the urinal at the corner of
College Street, the undoubted utility showed
up the deficiencies of the Latin House, whose
sanitary arrangements had not very materially
altered since Queen Anne, 1706!
So I would ask any reader who might have
got as far as this to bear with me for a brief
history of the 14-year pre-L.E. life. After
all, what is a three-mile gap these days,
although then it was a cycle ride or Shank’s
pony!
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Radical Thoughts for the Confused Christian
Genre: Non-fiction - Other
Status: Available for Purchase
Read a Sample
Buy the Book
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As a Christian, I dislike any form of
hypocrisy, my main concern being for a
Spiritual reality in the Christian
Faith.‘Radical Thoughts’ aims to cause both
Christians and non-Christians to consider
their positions. However,
it is important to bear in mind that the book
is entitled ‘Radical Thoughts’ and therefore
do not expect to agree with some or many of
the chapters. At the same time, I hope you
will find a number of them (and some of my
comments) both penetrating and searching. I
also hope this is a book that you will both
love and perhaps respond to.
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Escape to South Africa
Genre: Non-fiction - Biography
Status: Available for Purchase
Read a Sample
Buy the Book
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This is an account of the three most enjoyable
years that I spent as a flight mechanic with
the Royal Air Force in South Africa. Notable
among my exploits were a party that involved
me riding a wild horse fresh from the
S.W.African desert (that's the horse, not me!)
and my crafting Spitfires out of "tikki" coins.
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