John Dorrell


johndorrell@btinternet.com
01963350657

About My Writing  

I have written four complete novels, all of them with an African background, one of them self-published under the title Elusive Ambitions, dealing with three young African men and their participation in the freedom movement of their country. My short stories of which I have written more than fifty, have been short listed in Wrting and Writers News competitions and also published in Scribble Magazine and an anthology published by Rabbit Books. (from an Eva Wiggins comp)Current aims are to sell more books and find a publisher for the remaining novels.

Authors' Register:

About My Background  

Londoner by birth, much of career in international marketing, about half in Africa (twenty countries) where I have been resident for ten years or so. Now retired in Dorset with (second)wife of 40 years. Present at independence of Ghana 1957, visiting regularly Nigeria from 1960 onward (including 6 years residence)Also resident varying periods Mozambique, Angola, Ghana and Zambia. Writing for fun since 1951 (first published article in West London Observer) much of it printed in house magazines, newspapers etc. 

My Books

 

THE FORTUNATE FEW

  
Genre: Biography/History
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 (empty) Aircrew training as Navigator, finishing up in Air Sea Warfare Development of Coastal Command at RAF St. Mawgan and Topcliffe, flying in Shackletons and Neptunes. The book is currently with an agent on the internet WritersLiterary.com


 
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ELUSIVE AMBITIONS

  
Genre: Fiction - Historical
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 Three young African mencome up to the city to seek their fortune at just about the time the independence movement is gathering strength. They make significant contributions from their differing strengths, not without setbacks, romances and tragedies.

Elisive Ambitions is available for purchase at Ottakars in Yeovil and Wells Bookshops in Street, Ilchester, Chard and Taunton or from Amazon.
 
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One Death for Freedom

  
Genre: Fiction - Small gems (short books)

 
 David jethro is a young, married, enthusiastic overseas sales engineer for his company which makes a light constructional material for racking and building. While he is seconded to his unsatisfactory local agent in Smithsonia, a rack collapses and kills a small child. The local African independence movement blames this tragedy on Jethro and his product while his distributor tries to avoid all responsibility. Jethro has an affair with a South African girl and the ditributor tries to blackmail him into departing for England before a local inquest is held.
 
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JETHRO'S LUCK

  
Genre: Fiction - General

 
 Jethro is now a senior manager, in charge of the largest group of companies in the private sector in Zendovia, the old Smithsonia. He is led into a take-over bid for a group of chemists by the enthusiastic and ambitious young Divisional Manager. Jethro also falls in love with a local landowner with important agro-industrial holdings, a mainstay of the country's economy which government would like to nationalise. When things go wrong for Jethro he has to decide whether to quit and abandon his lady love or stick it out in the face of great opposition, to be with her.
 
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The Jubilee Mission

  
Genre: Fiction - Humorous

 
 Michael Roundtree takes trade missions to foreign markets for his Chamber of Commerce. This will be his 50th. The Mission survives one ridiculous attempt at hijack on the flight to Bishgad and a few days later half the mission is kidnapped by a rebel group. Michael is wining and dining one lady member when most of the rest of his group is kidnapped by a seperate rebel. The British Ambassador becomes involved, as does the President and of course the Foreign Office, where there are ancient rivalries at play and scores to settle.
 
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