Tag: Shirley Williams

SAVE THE DATE FOR THE LAUNCH OF ESCAPING HITLER!

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It’s official – we have confirmed THURSDAY 4TH FEBRUARY 2016 from 6pm as the launch event and signing of my debut biography Escaping Hitler at Jarrolds Book Department, Norwich.

Publicity and information about buying your ticket (includes free glass of wine!) will begin locally during December.  Look out for it.  Once it is posted on the Jarrold’s Events Calendar I will add a link to this blog.  Very excited to be inviting many of the people who feature in Joe Stirling’s story and who will remember the anecdotal references to this Fine City’s heritage. If you have not already done so, please go to my Facebook page for Escaping Hitler and ‘Like’ the page.  This way you will be amongst the first to have an opportunity to buy a signed copy, both with mine and Joe’s signatures. Thanks to all who are already ‘fans’.Front cover of Escaping Hitler

SHIRLEY WILLIAMS AND PHYLLIDA SCRIVENS AT LIB DEM CONFERENCE

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I’m back after two weeks well earned break on the south coast of England.  A highlight was attending the Liberal Democrat Conference and who did I seek out especially to say hello?  Shirley Williams of course, whose foreword now graces the early pages of Escaping Hitler.

It was wonderful to see her again and thrilling that she remembered me and the book – she is very much looking forward to reading it.  She sent her best wishes to Joe Stirling in Norwich, her past agent during her very first by-election in Harwich in the 1950s.  She kindly posed for some photographs with me.

An update for those who are interested – marketing form completed and returned to Pen and Sword Books, index is a work in progress on my computer, appointment with Jarrold Book Department in diary to discuss February launch, Pen and Sword are taking the book proposal to German publishers at the Frankfurt Book Festival in a couple of weeks and I am about to contact my Koblenz colleagues to discuss signing in Germany during May next year.  Very excited…..

Photo taken at Liberal Democrat Conference in Bournemouth September 2015
Photo taken at Liberal Democrat Conference in Bournemouth September 2015

ESCAPING HITLER FRONT COVER REVEALED AT CROME WINE CIRCLE, NORWICH

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This morning Joe and I were the guest speakers at the Crome Wine Circle.  We spoke to about twenty members who were most attentive and totally in awe of Joe who told them about his life in Nazi Germany and how he managed to get out, unlike so many other German Jews.  I took over half way and detailed a few of my research techniques and how I wove the results together to make a narrative whole.  I took along my brand new promotional board stand with the finalised front cover – this is the first time I have displayed this, either at talks or on this blog.  I am very pleased with it.  And on my return home I found that my lovely editor has sent through the final draft, from which I will devise the index.  What with that and me completing the lengthy and in-depth marketing sheet for Pen and Sword Marketing Department, it has been a busy week.  Closer and closer to January…… please take a look at my Facebook page Escaping Hitler and please press ‘like’ for the whole page.  This way you will be kept updated on publication dates, signings, special offers etc…..  I took 5 orders at the Wine Circle!

Front cover of Escaping HitlerJoe and Phyllida at Crome Wine Club September 2015Joe talks to members of Crome Wine Club

TYPE SET PROOF ARRIVED FOR ESCAPING HITLER!

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Could not be more excited!  This morning I received a large parcel from Pen and Sword books containing my first ever type set proof of my manuscript for Escaping Hitler complete with the foreword by Shirley Williams.  Now I have to work on producing an index and check the photo captions.  Nearly there….  Beautiful drawing of boy running is courtesy of my talented sister Alison White.  Looking forward to receiving a confirmed publication date in January 2016 hopefully in time for Holocaust Memorial Day. In the meantime if you can find your way to my Facebook page for the book at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Escaping-Hitler-A-Jewish-Boys-Quest-for-Freedom-and-his-Future/1456106047996737

and like the page, this will keep you updated on publication, signings, talks and how to get hold of your signed copy.   

Loving the running boy sketch
Loving the running boy sketch

Index page from proof

Youtube Footage showing Joe Stirling speaking to Norwich Sunday Assembly July 2015

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This piece of footage from Norwich Sunday Assembly shows Joe Stirling, the hero of my biography Escaping Hitler, talking recently to a packed hall about his early life.  At 90 years old he is still able to hold an audience in the palm of his hand. The book, to be published in January 2016 by Pen and Sword Books, will give all this information and so much more, including anecdotal stories from those who were and still are close to him.  The book covers nine decades of this man’s wonderful life from his childhood in Nazi Germany to his arrival in England on the Kindertransport, his education and life with two foster families, joining the British Army, meeting his wife, living in Attleborough, joining the Labour Party, working with Shirley Williams on her first by-election, taking high office in Lions International, setting up his own pioneering travel company Stirling Holidays, bringing up four children, travelling the world, becoming Sheriff of Norwich and finally discovering the fate of his parents.   Keep an eye on this blog for more information about publication dates, signings and how to buy your own signed copy….

Great Publicity in Let’s Talk Magazine

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I am indebted to journalist Derek Neale who has included some free publicity for my book Escaping Hitler, in the May edition of nostalgia magazine Let’s Talk Magazine published in Norwich.  The story on Joe Stirling is amongst other articles in a special supplement to note the 70th anniversary of the end of the Second World War.  Thanks Derek.  I will admit I am feeling the pressure right now with one week to go to my deadline for submission.  Ploughing on, not quite there yet……

Article on Joe Stirling in Let's Talk Magazine

SHIRLEY WILLIAMS REUNITED WITH JOE STIRLING

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Yesterday during a canvassing visit to Norwich for the Liberal Democrats, Baroness Shirley Williams, Liberal Democrat Peer, was reunited with Joe Stirling.  They last met 61 years ago during her first ever By-election as a Labour candidate.  Joe, then Labour Agent for Norwich, was sent to help out the young 23 year old in her efforts to become an M.P.  Shirley Williams has kindly written a foreword for Escaping Hitler: A Jewish Boy’s Quest for Freedom and His Future, the biography of Joe Stirling, written by Phyllida Scrivens.  This debut book will be published by Pen and Sword during January 2016.

Reunited after 61 years
Reunited after 61 years

Shirley Williams to write Foreword

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Exciting news today – Baroness Williams of Crosby (Shirley Williams) has agreed to write a foreword for Escaping Hitler:A Jewish Boy’s Quest for Freedom and A Future’.  Her mother, writer and poet Vera Brittain, was at Oxford University with Günter’s first British guardian. Also Joe was part of the team that helped fight Shirley’s first by-election in Harwich back in the 1950s.  I wrote to her recently and today I had the result!  I am delighted.

Baroness Williams
Baroness Williams