Where Do We Go From Here???

Almost 10 years ago when I decided to write Confessions Of An Exeter City Nut  I didn't think I'd still be here, whoring myself out to the general public almost a decade later.

Of course things have changed. In 2004 my mobile was big and hard enough to rob a bank with. If you were trying to kill me with a machete I guess my Nokia 5110 would have made it an even match! Nobody knew what Bebo meant and Mark Zuckerberg was putting the finishing touches to something called Facebook. 

Since then of course social media has changed the way we live or life's. I'm not interested in Paulo of Peru telling me about his bowel movements as he sits on the bowl 5,000 miles away. I am however curious of the affair that the local butcher had or maybe the fact the Waterford City Council have made another balls-up. If you wanna bitch, moan, groan, stir-shit or let the world know you're happy when we are all miserable then Facebook's the place to go.

So with that I've popped on, somewhere caught between a rock and a hard place.

The rock- being the fact I want to write a book. The hard place - the fact I don't have a subject yet!

The main reason for penning another book is because it would celebrate 10 books in 10 years. That's not something that comes around too much in the literary word. Even the big-shots like Cecilia Ahearne don't write so frequently, and she gets paid five-figure advances.

I took this year off and haven't regretted the time I have to myself . It's been great, however I'm sort of thinking 'Don't write a book until there's a great subject to use"

I jotted down some ideas over the festive period, coming up with about half a dozen subjects, but not knowing how the Waterford (and in some cases national) public would actually take it.

This has never been a problem before as all my subjects are unique in their own way.

Singing The Blues was the first book on Waterford United so it was a no-brainer and I got enough interest for a second Blues publication Blue,White & Dynamite. The first of the new ideas I had is simply called SIX which tells the story of Waterford Fc's six league titles in eight years.

Covered ground - maybe. Potential audience - probably. Mind you there's a fine line between bringing out a third Waterford United book , though my last one was 2007 , almost 7 years ago.

The other one on a Blues perspective was an autobiography on a Waterford player . I won't go into much detail but I've chatted a bit about it to him, but not sure I'll go down that road yet.

Blow It Up Ref  was again unique - as it was the first penned publication on the Waterford Junior League, and sold extremely fast (the launch in the Granville Hotel was the most profitable of all my book launches)

and there maybe something to be said to updating the 2010 publication , bringing out a 2014 version.

 My music book 50/50-A Collection of Waterford Showbands & Artists ,could again be used with a fresh new batch of people, whilst updating some classics, so that's a possible venture. The book was released in November 2008 and gone by Christmas. I still get people asking me for a copy ...and all I have left is one.

I'm happy enough with my two Exeter City books, Confessions of An Exeter City Nut and One Flew Over The Crossbar and as much as I'd like to write another Harry Sack I just don't think I have the strength!

My Liffey Press book Just Follow The Floodlights gave me a bit on national acclaim. It was nominated for William Hill Irish Sports Book of the Year  went into two re-prints and got solid reviews everywhere. The idea I had on a national scale is called Gone But Not Forgotten which would take in  the history of almost 20 ex-League of Ireland Clubs sadly gone. There is a market, but if not using a national publisher (I would have to pitch it out) then it means a bit more funding then usual and i'd have to get backing.

I loved writing Radio Blaa Blaa . It sold out in record speed (5 weeks) and the launch was probably my favourite of all 9. IF I could do a follow-up book from a different angle I'd do it in the morning.

Answers on a postcard please.

The last idea in my mind for a while was a publication based on the Waterford Factory & Pubs League, however I don't have good access to good standard pictures. Finding the winner of each year will be extremely hard (I know this from gets the league winners for Blow It Up Ref - as there was no records) and the shape/format of the book would require he sinking back a few Jack Daniels!

Speaking of JD , I'm off for one in a mo.

I'm putting this on the blog/website as to try get some feedback or even a new idea ( though I can't use 'Who's The Bastard In The Black' as a Twitter follower wanted me to do on the local Junior League refs!)

I guess I'm just putting it hear to get some feedback. Any opinion is worthy of thought.