K...I...S...S
A meditation on the art of well-being by “keeping it simple”
by Peter Stanley
Find the ultimate way to live your life - although don't follow this book exactly or you may end up in trouble.
Simply take from it what you need. Live your life as YOU want to, and in doing so, have loads of fun.
This memoir incorporates all the elements of well-being with adventure, humour and a desire to ensure the readers own well-being.
A deeply personal and inspiring account of the author’s life but ultimately, this is a powerful message about the importance of the need to mitigate suffering, whether on an individual or social level.
The author shares his own experiences of overcoming adversity, as well as thoughts on how we can all work together to create a more compassionate and equitable world.
A rip roaring read but with the accent on the relief of suffering and achieving the ultimate in well being - how? - with humour – and fill your soul with music and your heart with love!
Peter spends his life having fun, or at least trying to when not extricating himself from yet another situation caused by his incessant quest to remove suffering from people’s lives with his care for others.
Sometimes dubbed a rebel with a cause, he has worked as an accountant, salesman, serial entrepreneur and chaired a public company for a number of years.
Married to Mame, a lovely lady who died a short while ago, they have two children, two grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
This is his first book.
Reviews by Amazon Readers...
KISS is a memoir that combines personal stories, insights, and humor to share the author’s journey of finding well-being and happiness in life. Peter reflects on his experiences of overcoming challenges, discovering his passions, and helping others. He also offers practical advice on how to achieve well-being by following the KISS principle of simplicity in all endeavours.The book is a captivating and inspiring read that will make you laugh, cry, and think. It is full of wisdom and compassion, as well as anecdotes from the author’s life. The book also explores various topics related to well-being, such as breathing, meditation, yoga, music, love, spirituality, and social justice. The book is written in a conversational and engaging style, with a balance of humor, drama, and insight. The book is a must-read for anyone who wants to improve their well-being and happiness, as well as to learn more about the author’s fascinating life. It is a book that will touch your heart, mind, and soul, and inspire you to live a simple, meaningful, and fulfilling life. CGPT
There is something magic about your writing, I can't put my finger on it but it makes the reader feel that no matter how difficult and dark life is, it is still worth living. What you are saying has been said many times, but not in the special way you are saying it, which really reaches out to the reader and gives them hope and courage to carry on. You have a special gift, keep up the good work, I can't wait for your next book! - MH
You are talking directly to us, Your writing is spontaneous and heartfelt and comes across in a way we can relate to. Also you write from the heart, your spirit shines out from the pages of your book, it is what we all need these days. LDN
I feel I have touched base again and back to where I was before……..I feel I have been through years of madness, trying to find myself having lost my way……….so thank you Peter. ANON
Your book grips the imagination and is never boring, it really makes you think about so many things. I loved it. A beautiful memoir with such good advice. SS
Inspiring
This is a wonderful book, both a memoir and a book about how to live in a more mindful way. Enjoyable and thought provoking, the book is full of stories to make you laugh and wisdom to make you think about what is really important.
I keep your lovely book on the table and dip into it at random when I sit down for cups of tea during the day. It is my comfort blanket and calms me down when I feel my nervous tension rising. It is such a sane, thoughtful, kind book. SAL
I started your book yesterday and finished it at 5.00pm today – that’s how much I enjoyed it !! BD
Jo kept saying the book was "absolutely incredible", she had read it twice and was going to read it a third time.
She said the book was like you climbed lots of mountains to get on to the next mountain and never complained about it at all, (she related the story of when your canoe got filled with coal). She said it was like you have been at the helm of your life, all your life and remained there, and "anyone with a spark of conscience would be moved/ affected by your book". Jo said she would recommend your book to everyone in the world! - JO
Reviews by readers...
Angela Mays - Social Scientist “There is real warmth in this writing”
Fay Pedler - Physiotherapist “This book is addictive”
Sarah Juckes, Jericho Writers “I really enjoyed reading this”
Charmaine Despres “I love every single word Peter”
Cleo Howe “I agree with your thoughts on positive thinking, such a powerful healer”
Marcella Howard “You write as if it is coming from the heart”
Gerald Eugen Marcuse, G2NM
Pioneer of Radio
by David Fry, G4JSZ
Gerald Eugen Marcuse, a contemporary of Marconi, enjoyed similar fame during the early years of radio.
Marcuse’s amazing exploits in the 1920’s had earned him an international reputation as a radio experimenter and broadcaster but subsequently he became less wellknown.
In this superbly researched volume, Marcuse’s achievements are set out in detail, including numerous ‘firsts’, made through his brilliant understanding of the technology of the day and his perception of what was needed and what was to come.
First to contact South America, California, Australia & New Zealand by radio, he was instrumental in the foundation of formal ‘Ham’ Radio organisations, making contact with the Hamilton-Rice expedition and assisting both the Police and Ambulance services to set up mobile communications.
He shared his experience with other ‘Hams’ by giving advice and sending them vital components.
Marcuse was issued with a licence to broadcast entertainment from his home in Caterham. He battled with the legal authorities, especially the inertia of the Post Office (the legal body responsible for issuing amateur radio licences) and the BBC which hadn’t accepted the best operating frequencies that should have been used to broadcast overseas successfully.
A household name in the 1920’s but now almost unknown.
A remarkable career but with no official recognition.
After graduating from High School in Toronto, Canada in 1966, David was licenced G8CDQ in 1967 then G4JSZ in 1968.
He was appointed Technical Assistant at the BBC Engineering Department in 1968 at Evesham, Skelton (World Service Transmitters) & Droitwich.
David graduated in 1973 to teach Maths & IT at Droitwich High School. Here he established a vibrant radio club, coaching several students through the Radio Amateur’s exam and is still in contact with some of them.
He was appointed Head of IT at Shrewsbury Girl’s High from 1990-2006 then left to build a successful picture framing business.
David’s first book was based on a diary that Marcuse kept as an engineering student in Einbeck, Germany in 1903.
For more information
Contact David Fry:
marcuseg2nm@protonmail.com
Wyndham Ward spent fifty-eight years in aviation: twenty-three years in the RAF and thirty-five years in civil flying. From Boy Mechanic he progressed to fighter pilot on the famous Hawker Hunter, flew low-level high-speed Buccaneers with the RAF, and with the Fleet Air Arm from HMS Ark Royal he was selected for the Red Arrows Aerobatic Team of 1979, a team that was unique in flying the last of the Gnats and the first Hawks.
Smoking Red
by Wyndham Ward
The Red Arrows and more - a life on the wing
A life-long lover of aeroplanes, Wyndham Ward spent fifty-eight years in aviation: twenty-three years in the RAF and thirty-five years in civil flying. From Boy Mechanic he progressed to fighter pilot on the famous Hawker Hunter, flew low-level high-speed Buccaneers with the RAF, and with the Fleet Air Arm from HMS Ark Royal he was selected for the Red Arrows Aerobatic Team of 1979, a team that was unique in flying the last of the Gnats and the first Hawks.
This involved an extended tour of duty with the team displaying the Hawk internationally and mixing with celebrities of many types.
After a wonderful five years with the Red Arrows, Wyndham took to civilian aviation and joined Cathay Pacific, flying the Pacific Rim on B747’s and long range Airbus A340’s out of Hong Kong airport.
An invitation to join Oman Royal Flight followed and as a Royal Flight Captain he flew the Sultan, VVIP’s and Heads of State in his B747 SP’s.
Casting aside the glitz of royalty, he took up an appointment with Airbus Toulouse training pilots and this led to training business-jet pilots with CAE a world-wide Canadian training company and manufacturer of the latest synthetic flight simulators.
Now retired from UK CAA and US FAA qualified posts, he lives in rural Mid-Wales and taken to writing to encourage young men and women to fly whatever their circumstances and to enjoy aviation as much as he has.
From Little Acorns:
A Story of Courage and Inspiration
An Autobiography by Graeme Whiting
The main thing about Graeme is this: his energy. More specifically, it’s a special kind of energy that acts as a catalyst on others. We all have great potential within us, but the difficult thing is activating it. Some people have the gift of providing the necessary spark to others – and this is at the heart of education, as something quite distinct from imparting information, and ultimately more important. Graeme is one of the rare people with that special gift.
Jeremy Wade (ex-pupil, angler, biologist, TV presenter)
Graeme Whiting’s childhood was spent in poverty. He faced hardship and later, tragedy, but came through these challenges with the courage and enthusiasm to develop a remarkable career in education based on his passion for nurturing the individual abilities and unique potential of each student.
Graeme was initially a physical training instructor in the army and then taught in public schools where a key mentor helped him adapt and refine his degree-level training skills to teach children.
A move to the Steiner system opened his eyes to a profoundly different approach to education, which along with Graeme's rich life experience – including his love of fishing, gymnastics, water sports and all manner of fun and adventure – became the foundation for his distinctively wholesome way of educating young people.
In 1991 Graeme was able to fulfil a lifelong vision of how schooling with heart and kindness can help children flourish. Together with his wife, Sarah, he took a leap of faith and created his own school – The Acorn School – now a highly original cutting-edge independent school in the Cotswolds.
After thirty years of Acorn, Graeme has written this book as an encouragement to us all to follow our hearts and take the path less travelled, no matter how humble our background.
The Ghosts of April
The life and times of the ugliest man in rock
living the dream isn’t always what it’s cracked up to be by Dave Russell
As a teenager, Dave Russell discovered the joy of listening to rock music and watching live bands, an escape from his working class roots and strict upbringing. While pounding the streets of London as a telegram boy, he had the ambition to make music, but he could never have foreseen rubbing shoulders with real-life heroes or appearing on television and national radio as the singer in a band of complete unknowns. From performing in front of axe-wielding maniacs to interrupting a couple in flagrante delicto, this book is a journey of discovery – the real life of an aspiring musician, including redundancy, eviction, relationship break-ups and too many goodbyes.
Such a musician does not have the luxury of this book being reviewed by the national press or book clubs, but here are some comments by real people:
“Not bad for an ex-scaffolder,” my mate Glenn.
“You never told me you was in a band,” my milkman. “Is that your shed on the front cover?” my neighbour Clive.
Where Will I Be? - In Search of Sokolov by Barbara Truman
The story of how one particular piano recital changed the course of the author’s life and inspired her to overcome her fear of flying and to travel to more than twenty European countries over a period of twenty-three years to listen to one very special pianist.
It describes not only the fascinating places she visited, the people she met, the friendships she cultivated, the comical and at times far less amusing things that happened to her, the kindnesses and the catastrophes, but also her impressions of the performances she attended, the diversity of venues in which those performances took place and the vagaries of audience behaviour.
It’s the story of someone approaching late middle age whose life suddenly turned into an amazing adventure, told with candour and humour.
Barbara Truman lives in Birmingham, the city of her birth, although she has lived in other parts of the country and for a while in Australia. In recent years her leisure time has been largely devoted to travelling around Europe and listening to music.
In March 2020 at the start of the pandemic she retired from a sixty-year secretarial career during which she worked in the fields of commerce, accountancy and the law. With time on her hands she decided it was the ideal moment to start writing this book.
Beryl Burton overtakes Mike McNamara to clinch victory in the 12-hour race at Otley, Yorkshire. When she finishes the marathon event after 277 miles, Burton has beaten Britain’s leading male time triallist and achieved something unheard of: she has taken a men’s endurance record outright. The moment enters cycling folklore because of Burton's gesture as she overhauls ‘Mac’: unsure what to do or say, she offers him a liquorice allsort from her pocket.
Burton was a seven-times world champion and multiple national champion, and this was the greatest feat in her 30-year career. The Otley ‘12’ should have been a groundbreaking moment in women’s sport, but along with the rest of Burton’s achievements, it has slipped into relative obscurity.
This new biography from best-selling writer William Fotheringham tells Burton’s story in full for the first time, from the brutal illness that left her bedridden as a teenager to her quarter century at the top of women’s cycling in the UK, and her premature death in 1996.
William Fotheringham is the No.1 best-selling author of Merckx: Half-Man, Half-Bike. He writes for the Guardian on cycling and is the critically acclaimed author of Sunday in Hell, Fallen Angel, Roule Britannia and Put Me Back on My Bike, hailed by Vélo magazine as ‘the best cycling biography ever’.
A racing cyclist and launch editor of Procycling magazine, he has reported on almost 30 Tours de France, four Olympic Games and the Rugby World Cup.
The Joy of Knowing Pete Much was said, yet no words spoken
‘Poor Pete he can never have an adventure on his own.’ His brother’s words describe Peter’s dependence on others for his care and safety.
He had Down’s syndrome and profound and multiple learning disabilities.
He never used words but still made a profound impact on the lives of his family, friends and those he met. His individuality, love of music, his friendships and his determination all shine through The Joy of Knowing Pete.
This memoir focuses on Peter’s teenage years, his home, his surroundings, his schools, his church membership, his outings, his holidays and his three months in hospital following severe strokes and his final months in a Sue Ryder home.
In her first book, Through Peter's Eyes, Hazel Morgan captured the life of her younger son, who had Down's syndrome, up to the age of eleven, first in Durham and then in Suffolk. Now in her second memoir, The Joy of Knowing Pete: Much Was Said, Yet No Words Spoken she focuses on what Peter taught her in his teenage years and how he touched the lives of so many people. She also reflects on services and supports for people with learning disabilities over the years arguing for greater opportunities, equality and fairness.
Peter's death shortly before his nineteenth birthday prompted her to change career: she had studied Modern History at St Hugh's College Oxford and taught for many years in secondary, further and higher education. She subsequently became a Co-Director of the Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities, then part of the Mental Health Foundation, overseeing research and projects. Now in retirement she is a trustee of People First Dorset.
Hazel lives in Dorset with her husband and enjoys being close to her son, Philip, and his family, reading novels, researching family history and exploring the local area.
Hazel is working alongside the Media Production Department at Bournemouth University on completing an audiobook of "The Joy of Knowing Pete" and a soundscape based on words, music and sounds from Peter"s life. Information to follow later this year on how to access these.
READER REVIEWS...
British Journal of Learning Disabilities January 2023 This book is an enjoyable read. I recommend it to a wide readership....'The Joy of Knowing Pete' is a rare treat as few books have been written about the life experiences of people with profound and multiple learning disabilities...Pete's life story is a plea to challenge discrimination, act imaginatively and enable all people with learning disabilities to live full and healthy lives in their own communities, where they are treated equally.
NASEN’s Connect magazine July 2023 The Joy of Knowing Pete is a heartwarming story…Hazel shows the importance of developing experiences for those who are non- verbal with complex needs….It is clear Pete has inspired the family…..the detail in this book will help to change society, develop inclusion and ultimately change the way we care for those with learning disabilities. nasen.org.uk
Sarah Palmer, Emeritus Professor in Maritime History, The University of Greenwich This book is a kind of love letter, not just to Pete but to the power of memory itself. Never sentimental, it is very moving.
Rev. Janet Bellamy This is a loving and yet unsentimental depiction of life with Pete, beautifully drawn, in which Pete’s gift of himself to the family is powerfully illustrated and (implicitly) their gift of themselves to him is also movingly evident.
Dr Sue Brown, Writer Hazel's book will contribute to a better recognition of how important it is to recognise the wishes and needs of those with disabilities and take them far more into account in responding to them. No one speaks with more insight and authority about that than she does.
Virginia Astley Writer Through a series of snapshot recollections and the words of those who knew him, Hazel Morgan provides the reader with a memorable and poignant account of her son’s life…… The joy that Pete expresses in his own particular way radiates throughout the book and leaves the reader with the sense that this young man’s life touched a great many others.
Christine-Koulla Burke, Director the Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities This book is beautifully written with fairness and equality at the heart, reminding us that all life is precious.
Sally Bayley, Writer Hazel’s book is a moving account of how one family learned to live - often joyfully - alongside a young son with a disability. There is not a shred of self pity here, only a reminder of the brevity of all our lives and our universal desire to make meaning.
John Swinton, Professor in Practical Theology and Pastoral Care, The University of Aberdeen This is a lovely book. It’s a testimony to Peter, but it is much more than that ... Hazel gently and kindly brings Peter’s voice to the fore.
Chris Hatton, Professor of Social Care, Manchester Metropolitan University This is a beautiful and moving memoir - of joy, grief, pain, faith, belonging, love, and a life well lived.
Christine Towers, Director, Together Matters This is Peter’s story written many years later. It also subtly hints at the need for the rest of society to be more inclusive and for a greater national policy commitment to people with learning disabilities.
When you have produced the final draft of your book, it is always advisable to have the text read and checked by a professional editor or proof reader.
You may have friends that are willing and competent to do this and we can advise you on the type of editing that is required.
We can offer four levels of editing as well as proof-reading.
You choose which, if any, are appropriate in your case: 1. Edit of sample pages and short report (£30)
We will edit a few pages to highlight editorial issues so that you can look for similar problems throughout the book.
This will reduce the amount of further copy-editing required when the book is finished. 2. Broad structural editing and criticism (£5 per thousand words)
A structural review is particularly relevant for works of fiction.
The structural reviewer will address the following main areas and produce a short report for the author ” Read More 3. Copy editing (£10 per thousand words)
A copy-editor takes a close look at your text, line by line, with an eye to grammatical errors, repetition, inconsistency and lack of clarity. The copy editor will make changes to the text, with suggestions for rewriting, grammar, and punctuation. When you receive the edited version, you have the final choice about accepting of rejecting the individual changes. 4. Proof Reading (£8 per thousand words)
Proof reading is a line-by-line check that the book is ready for publication. Proof readers will make small corrections for punctuation, grammar and spelling but they will not make significant changes to the text.
A proof reader will identify any significant issues and add comments to the text so that you can make those corrections yourself. 5. Consistency Scan
If you decide your book doesn’t need a full proof reading, we offer an electronic scan to search for common errors and inconsistencies. This looks at issues such as inconsistent spelling and inconsistencies of hyphenation and capitalisation.
We can also identify inconsistencies in the spelling of proper names. 6. Cover text
The quality of the text on the cover is very important as it indicates the quality of the writing in the book.
The title, sub-title and back-cover blurb are all important elements and we can work with you to make sure that these are correct and effective.
Copy Edit
Copy-editors get the raw material into shape for publication i.e they edit the copy.
When they have finished, the designer can lay out or typeset the book and produce a proof.
It is quite normal for the author to make additional changes after a book has been copy-edited.
Working through the material, the copy-editor may identify errors in spelling, punctuation, grammar, style and usage, but also very long sentences and overuse of italic, bold, capitals and exclamation marks.
They should correct or query doubtful facts, weak arguments, plot holes and gaps in numbering.
In fiction, they should also check that characters haven’t changed their name or hair colour, look for sudden changes from first to third person among other things.
The Copy-editor is not a proof reader and should not be expected to find all of the errors in the text particularly if the text is badly written to start with.
This is the job of the proof reader.
The final proof should be checked by a proof reader or an experienced reader friend before going to print.
It is almost inevitable (and acceptable) to miss a few errors which can be corrected in a later edition.
Proof Reading
Proof reading is a line-by-line check that the book is ready for publication.
Proof readers will make small corrections for punctuation, grammar and spelling but they will not make significant changes to the text.
A proof reader will identify any significant issues and add comments to the text so that you can make those corrections yourself.
If you have decided to complete this stage of the process yourself, we will send a detailed check-list to help you.
We ask you to try and ensure that the book is completely ready before we start the layout.
Once the layout has started, we expect that you might want to to make a small number of amendments but
if there are a significant number, we may need to charge for the extra time it takes to change the layout
so best to discuss this with us first.
Structural Review
In fiction, the main areas that a structural editor will address are:
Plot: Does the plot make sense? Is it believable? Is it satisfying or does it leave the reader frustrated? Themes: Are the themes effectively handled? Are there so many that the book lacks focus? Do they interfere with the plot or complement it?
Characterisation: Are your characters well developed and believable? Are they cast in a role that fits their personality? Do they sometimes behave out of character? Point of view/voice: Is the voice consistent or is it sometimes confused? Is the voice authentic? Are you using too many or too few POVs? Pace: Does the plot move forward at an appropriate pace? Should you cut that preface? Should the action happen sooner or should the tension build more slowly? Dialogue: Do your characters sound real when they speak? Is your dialogue cluttered with adverbs and beats? Do you use clunky dialogue to move the plot forward? Flow: Is the narrative interrupted by dead-ends and tangents? Is there so much back story that the main plot is dwarfed? Are there missing plot points that would give the narrative greater integrity?
In non-fiction, the principle is the same, but the specific issues are slightly different:
Thesis: Is your thesis relevant? Is it clearly defined or is it lost among marginal issues? Exposition: Are your arguments clear and cogent? Are they well researched and properly supported? Do they have a clear relationship with your thesis? Content: Are all the necessary topics sufficiently dealt with? Are the chapters weighted correctly? Is there superfluous content? Organisation: Is the information organised logically? Are tables and illustrations used appropriately? How many levels of subheads do you need and how should they be arranged? Tone: Is the tone appropriate for the audience? Do you need to eliminate jargon? Is the text accessible? Pace: Are there passages that are bogged down in detail? Do you spend too long on detail irrelevant to the main thesis? Are there areas that need further exposition lest they be skipped over?
Cover Text
The quality of the text on the cover is very important as it indicates the quality of the writing in the book.
The title, sub-title and back-cover blurb are all important elements and we work with you to make sure that these are as effective as possible.
Consistency check
If you decide your book doesn’t need a full proof reading, we can run an electronic scan to search for common errors and inconsistencies.
This looks at issues such as inconsistent spelling, hyphenation and capitalisation.
It also checks for consistent formatting of numbers and dates as well as undefined abbreviations.
Full Script Edit
The script that you deliver to us will probably constitute what the industry would classify as the ‘Initial Rough Draft’, i.e. a full screenplay written without any other professional input or advice, and probably without a great deal of rewriting. We work through your draft, line by line, scene by scene, and come back to you with a comprehensive set of notes from which you can then work towards the official ‘1st Draft’. Some of our notes will be broad and general, dealing with such areas as the overall shape and structure, pacing, plot and character development; others will be far more specific, with corrections, clarifications and suggested cuts etc. It is of course entirely up to you whether or not to take these suggestions on board, and to what extent.
Subsequent Script Edit
It is very normal and generally beneficial for the script-editing process to go through at least a couple of cycles
i.e. the rewritten draft to be worked through once again by an experienced script practitioner – though this would be entirely at the discretion and behest of the writer.
Ongoing Support
We aim to make your self-publishing venture an enjoyable and rewarding experience.
Publishing is a complex business and we treat every book as a separate project.
We explain all of the stages at the outset and we manage the project schedule for you. This will include all of the expert services you have requested for editorial, design, printing, distribution and collection of royalties, keeping in close contact with you throughout the process.
You will be allocated a project-sheet on the YouCaxton website so that you can monitor progress and ensure that all stages are properly completed.
If you would like to see an example of a Project-Sheet…
go to My project on the menu and enter…
Username: Sample
Password : welcome.
