Tag: Archant Publications

Joe Stirling is 95 today!

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Happy Birthday Joe!  Today, 18th October 2019, Joe Stirling, the subject of my biography Escaping Hitler: A Jewish Boy’s Quest for Freedom and His Future (Pen and Sword Books, 2016) is 95 years old.  I first met Joe in 2011 and never imagined our friendship would last as long as it has.  I visited Joe this afternoon in his Norwich Care Home to find his two lovely daughters, Jane and Johanna, sharing his day with him.  We had tea and cake with candles, gifts and a loud rendition of ‘Happy Birthday to You.’ Joe continues to keep a keen interest in how my writing and public speaking careers are progressing and is always proud to hear about it when I have share his life stories with new audiences in Norfolk.  Many Happy Returns Joe!

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Escaping Hitler Presentation at Mulbarton Words Festival June 2016

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I am indebted to Terence Burchell from Mulbarton near Norwich for this video of me speaking to a lovely audience at Hanover Gardens, Mulbarton in June this year, as part of the Mulbarton Words Festival.  I hope some of you will take 30 minutes of your lives to watch as I describe the early life of Joe Stirling, Kindertransport boy and former Sheriff of Norwich, as well as a little about how my debut biography came to be published by Pen and Sword Books in January.  In January 2017 this remarkable man’s story will be available even more widely when Skyhorse Publishing of New York publish and distribute my book to the book lovers of the U.S.A.  To purchase a signed copy directly from me take a look at the menu on this WordPress blog to find my contact details.  Many thanks….

SIX MONTHS ANNIVERSARY OF PUBLICATION OF ESCAPING HITLER

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SIX MONTHS AGO today, 5th January 2016, my debut biography Escaping Hitler (foreword by Shirley Williams) was published by Pen and Sword Books.  I will never forget the incredible moment when my first 200 copies arrived in six boxes at my house! And when I first presented Joe Stirling with his personal copy!  Since that date so much has happened to me and to the book that I felt this was an appropriate moment to share the phenomonal achievements so far.

Over 30 published articles and reviews including local Archant publications, the Journal from the Association of Jewish Refugees, Lion Magazine and the Rhein Zeitung, regional newspaper for the Rhineland around Koblenz.

Grand official launch at Jarrold Department Store in Norwich on 4th February with 220 people in the audience.  We signed over 50 books that night!

Appeared in Jarrold’s National Bestsellers lists for five weeks running, including No.1 during week of February 13th 2016!

29 Public and private talks and powerpoint presentations including two in Germany (Koblenz Federal Archive and the village of Nickenich).  Seven more in the diary between now and July 2017.  More welcomed!

Escaping Hitler appears in Norfolk Libraries. Waiting lists build up to borrow copies.

403 followers on Facebook and 112 on Twitter

542 copies sold directly from me and Joe, 297 of them signed and sold at our speaking engagements.

From the initial 1300 print run Pen and Sword is now down to the final 200 in the warehouse.  Plans for a further hardback run and a little later for a softback.

In March this year New York Publisher Skyhorse bought the option to publish and distribute Escaping Hitler onto the U.S. market. Projected date for this is January 3rd 2017. I have recently received my Authors Questionnaire in order for us to work together on a marketing plan.  (This was beyond my wildest expectations!)

Escaping Hitler entered for two major Book  Awards – watch this space!

And finally, as a result of the marketing successes so far, I am now contracted to Pen and Sword for a second biographical book: My Lady Lord Mayor: The Seventeen Female Lord Mayor of Norwich 1923-2017.  Estimated publication end 2017/early 2018.

So more work ahead!!

My sincere thanks to everyone who follows this blog, my Facebook page and my Twitter feed, and especially those who have already bought and read the book!  Without your support the statistics would not look nearly as good!

Don’t forget – by clicking on the menu at the top of this page you will find full details of how to order your personally signed copy directly from me. The book makes a great gift!

Our first joint talk at the Soroptimists club in Norwich

 

 

 

 

 

 

Update on new Koblenz contact

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Yesterday, amongst all the gloom of the Brexit vote, I received one ray of sunshine.  This first photograph is of the lady whose family moved into Görgenstrasse 6 (second photo) late in 1939, the same block of apartments in Koblenz, Rhineland, where Ida and Alfred lived since January of that year, when Alfred was released from Dachau.  Ida and Alfred Stern, as you will recall, are Joe Stirling’s parents who perished in the Holocaust. By the time the new family moved in, Günter Stern (Joe’s birth name) was in England, having arrived here in July 1939 on a Kindertransport.  Following my recent book events in Koblenz and Nickenich, directly resulting from coverage in the local Rhineland newspaper, Rhein-Zeitung, I received this email from Hildegard Rockenfeller.  I quote:

“My mother is the daughter of Anna and Anton Marzi living in Koblenz in Görgenstraße 6 during the 2nd world war. She vividly remembers Alfred and Ida Stern who were living on the 3rd floor in the same house by then. My mother is 90 years of age by now, she didn’t know Joe Striling personally, he already had gone to England when my mother and her family moved into the house in Görgenstraße 6. My grandparents had 4 children, 3 sons and a daughter, my mother. One of my mother’s twin brothers also was named Günter. The twin brothers are still alive, her eldest brother Kurt died in 1999. My grandfather Anton was a shoemaker and had his shop on the groundfloor in Görgenstraße 6. My mother always speaks with great respect of Alfred and Ida Stern, she liked them very much.”

I hope that both Hildegard and her mother enjoy reading about Joe’s escape from Nazi Germany and that his biography will bring back fond recollections of Alfred and Ida Stern for Hildegard’s mother. May their memory live on.

 

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My First Literature Festival

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Yesterday afternoon I had the pleasure of speaking to a room full of eager book lovers, all of whom had bought tickets for the Vintage Tea Party with Phyllida Scrivens, as featured in the programme for Mulbarton Words Week, a festival of all words, spoken, read or sung.  Take a look at their Facebook page for more information.

https://www.facebook.com/Mulbarton-WORDS-WEEK-1544591919114625/?fref=ts

The audience was attentive, knowledgable, inquisitive and friendly! The cakes were delicious and the tea refreshing.  I sold a number of copies of Escaping Hitler and came away with many accolades for both my presentation and my vintage dress!

Eastern Daily Press publish story from Germany visit

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There was a wonderful piece published in the Eastern Daily Press last Friday (27th May 2016), written by leading feature journalist Rowan Mantell, telling readers about my recent trip to Koblenz and Nickenich promoting Escaping Hitler.  I hope you can read it.  Already this weekend I have received a book order because a gentleman in Diss read the piece.

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First published Review of Escaping Hitler in Let’s Talk Magazine

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To my delight, on pages 40-41 of the April edition of Archant’s Let’s Talk Magazine published today, I found a wonderful two page review of Escaping Hitler.  Leading journalist Derek James has written an excellent summary of Joe’s remarkable story, leaving the reader wanting more….  hopefully this will prompt some to buy their own copy!  Today is a good day…..

 

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Escaping Hitler No.1 in Jarrold’s National Bestsellers List

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Today is yet another Red Letter for Escaping Hitler: A Jewish Boy’s Quest for Freedom and His Future as it appears at number 1, top of the best selling list from Jarrold’s Bookshop in Norwich, England, as published in the Eastern Daily Press, 13th February 2016.  This is beyond exciting.  When my debut book was published I would fantasise about being No. 1 in the Local Books listing, never imagining that it would be considered a National title.  Fantastic progress in just four weeks.  Thanks everyone who has bought the book so far.

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EDP and Eastern Evening News cover Escaping Hitler Launch

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On Friday 5th February, the day following the book launch of Escaping Hitler at Jarrolds in Norwich, both the Eastern Daily Press and Evening News carried this story by journalist Lauren Cope about the event.  So grateful for local support, coming at me from all quarters!  Joe and I are speaking at the Norwich Synagogue this afternoon!  And now that Escaping Hitler is available on Kindle, many more people will soon learn about the life of Joe Stirling.  Wonderful.

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Introductory offer on Escaping Hitler ends soon!

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With my current stocks of Escaping Hitler now running low, I will soon be re-ordering from my publisher.  Unfortunately the price per copy to me has increased so from my official launch date of 4th February 2016 (10 days time) the price for a signed copy direct from me will be £19.50 plus £4 postage.  This is still well below the £25 recommended retail price as printed on the inside cover….  SO, if you would like to snap up your copy at the introductory price of £17 plus postage, now is the time. Full information of your options below….  

The book came in at number 9 in Jarrolds Book Department weekly Top Ten National Sellers list, as published in Saturday’s Eastern Daily Press in Norwich.  I could not be more delighted….  thanks to those who have already bought, I hope you are enjoying living Joe’s life alongside him…..!

1. U.K. FOLLOWERS: EITHER mail a cheque payable to Mrs P Scrivens at 7 St Lucia Court, 38 Yarmouth Road, Norwich NR7 0EQ along with your home address and telephone number and I will mail a book out to you along with a receipt. (Orders dated before 4th February will be at £17 plus £4 p&p, dated after 4th February will be £19.50 plus £4 p&p)

2. OR call me on 01603 300212 and quote me your credit or debit card details (just like you do when ordering tickets for the cinema!) I have a Paypal machine so I can take cards over the phone. I will then mail your book.

3. OR email me at phyllida.scrivens@icloud.com and I will email you my bank account details by return so that you can pay electronically. Once it is cleared I will mail your book.

All books will be mailed in a cardboard mailer which can fit two books. Postage the same price for two books as for one.

4. OVERSEAS FOLLOWERS: Unfortunately postage from the UK is very expensive in small quantities. I would advise you to order from either Amazon.co.uk or from Pen and Sword Books website at http://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Escaping-Hitler-Hardback/p/11628. Pen and Sword can send out signed copies if you request this at the end of the online ordering process.

Happy Reading….