My book No Joe Bloggs.

My book No Joe Bloggs

People have often asked me where I found the inspiration to write. It is not easy to write and I have to tell you here and now that both of my recent books No Joe Bloggs and Joe's Jolly Japes were a labour of love. On reflection now No Joe Bloggs was an enormous pleasure to write because I knew exactly what to write. I'd stored away all of those precious memories of childhood, brought to the surface all those childhood emotions and remembered my grandparents and how they fought against adversity.

That's it. No Joe Bloggs was a rags to riches story, the voice of a grandson and my detailed and very affectionate interpretation of my grandparents battle against the Nazis. I'm a grandson of a Holocaust survivors which, in a couple of days will feature prominently in the yearly Jewish memorial across the globe.

I could never even begin to imagine the sheer horror and ruthless human slaughter that unfolded before the disbelieving eyes of the world. No Joe Bloggs is my attempt to heighten awareness of my grandparents and mum's plight. It's a book about my parents, grandparents, fun days, happy days, memorable days and I think hilarious days of long, hot summer days, school days, teenage years, the 1960s and 1970s TV, the epic films from those decades, the music, my favourite pop groups, the radio stations, the singers, the bands, the bond that held us together through thick and thin.

Then there's London, London is featured in a chapter that I think oozes with description, insight, the characteristics that make London tick and an account of my late and wonderful dad's relationship with the London he fell deeply in love with. He loved Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square and the whole dynamic of the capital city.

I know I'm being biased and this is something I make no apology for but No Joe Bloggs is like one huge descriptive outpouring of my life. Of course there were tough times. Of course there were times when I thought my teenage years would never end. Unlike most of the kids of my generation my teenage years were a complete wasteland and in No Joe Bloggs this is illustrated at some length.

 At times there is a part of me that feels as though I've irreparably missed out on those classic youth club days of wine, roses and sociability. But then I begin to count my blessings and count my lucky stars. Of course I didn't join in with endless games of table tennis and badminton, drinking teetotal lemonade and generally engaging with the rest of the friends I could have made. Still it's history and in No Joe Bloggs I try to express my private struggles, my frustrations and then the successful conquest of my battle against shyness.

No Joe Bloggs is not only my autobiography but I think its uniquely personal, full of life and verbal vitality. There's my enduring connection with football, nostalgic references to my favourite players such as Pele, Johan Cruyff, George Best and some, I think, very entertaining pen portraits of Arsenal, Chelsea, Leeds United, Ipswich, Spurs, Manchester United and City, Liverpool and Wolves.

There's a fictitious account of my dad and his imaginary journey to Las Vegas with Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett and Sammy Davis Junior and the game of Pool he might have enjoyed with them.

No Joe Bloggs will make you laugh, cry and smile. I think it'll make you feel that life is rich and rewarding. It is, I feel sure heartwarming, positive, uplifting and feelgood. If you want something different on your coffee table then No Joe Bloggs is definitely the book for you.

 It's at Amazon, Waterstones online market place and Barnes and Noble online. No Joe Bloggs is a literary voyage into the promised land. You've read Lee Child, James Patterson, JK Rowling and if you want to spend some time with the once very quiet lad named Joe Morris from Ilford, Essex then this is the book for you.