Novel venture for Hartlepool after dinner speaker Alan

Alan Wright with his book Rags and Reminders. Picture by FRANK REID

As an after dinner speaker Alan Wright from Hartlepool has come across his fair share of funny characters and anecdotes in his time.

Now he has used that colourful background as the basis of a new book – thanks to TV presenter Chris Tarrant.

Alan from Hartlepool has just published his first novel entitled Rags & Reminders which is already attracting interest from TV companies to bring it to the screen.

He got the idea when chatting to his friend Tarrant, best known as the face of Who Wants to be a Millionaire.

Alan said: “I have known Chris for a long time through the after dinner speaking circuit.

“He has done events with me in the North East. At various stages we have talked about funny things we had seen, and a couple of years ago he said ‘there’s a book there’.

“I have written travel writing and stuff for magazines before, and of course a column for the Hartlepool Mail, but this is my first novel.”

Loosely based on Alan, the central character is called John, who has been on the speaking circuit for 30 years.

He provides the springboard for a host of funny stories based on real life events witnessed by Alan all over the country and especially in his native North East.

John’s new-found and unexpected fame takes him all around the world meeting a motley crew all along the way.

Alan spent the best part of two years transferring the concept from head to page.

He was delighted to secure a publisher in Terence Michael and Chris has provided an official endorsement printed on the back page.

Chris says: “The book’s a hoot. He is a brilliant award-winning speaker and writes superbly, yet he is as mad as a trumpet and silly as a duck.

“Laugh out loud scenes of which Tom Sharpe would have been proud – and thought-provoking too.

“John’s climb to the heights from these tough but riotous beginnings and the absurd complications it brings to his life are as ridiculous as the author.”

Alan has had great feedback from readers and two production companies have also expressed an interest in making it into a TV programme.

Rags & Reminders is available on amazon priced £9.99 paperback or £3.99 on Kindle.