Reviews from

Unravelled - the story of me

the unvarnished truth

34 total reviews 
Comment from Ric Myworld
Excellent
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Well, for someone who thinks his life isn't very exciting . . . I have to wonder what it takes for you to think something IS exciting. There are four of five novels in your list of happenings. Thanks for sharing. :-)

 Comment Written 06-Jun-2022


reply by the author on 13-Jun-2022
    Yep, especially the way I write shit! lol Many thanks Ric. G
Comment from Katherine M. (k-11)
Exceptional
This work has reached the exceptional level

This was a fantastic glimpse into your real life, and what has shaped you. I like writing memoirs. They're so much easier to control than fiction as you know exactly what's supposed to happen before you write the first word. It's a bit like driving a train, rather than a racing car on one of those oil-slicked training circuits I find. BUT, and there's always a but isn't there, writing memoirs is much more emotionally draining than writing fiction. Interestingly, almost all of mine don't get onto this site. My dad forbade it as he says I reveal too many family secrets. So they are hand written and locked away in a bank vault. This means no-one has read them yet, and won't 'till after dad and I die, so there's no way of telling if they're any good... or not. Until I started writing scripts. Now that seemed a harmless form of orientating memoirs to social commentary... or so I thought. So I could post them, no? NO! it's turning out to be the most dangerous addictive drug I've ever seen. I can't get away from them, and am currently generating 4000 words a day on that alone, and I post a few of the more innocuous ones. Kate xx

 Comment Written 06-Jun-2022


reply by the author on 13-Jun-2022
    It's always knowing what to put in and leave out. I'd be changing a lot of names though! lol G
reply by Katherine M. (k-11) on 13-Jun-2022
    If I had it to do over, I would have invented "a family" so's the names, habits, description etc stayed constant. Instead they change for each slice of life - it's kinda hard to keep track. Kate xx
Comment from Fleedleflump
Excellent
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Speaking as someone a little more removed from some of the same events (I grew up in London and I'm a couple of years younger than you, so there were no school trips into central London, and pub bombings etc were commonplace), I'd say you have plenty of relevance to say.

If I can be blunt, most of the auto-biographical stuff I read is self-indulgent, smug dogshit, written by people who falsely believe their relatively normal life (or the hundredth sad but similar story) will somehow enrich the reader. It might be good therapy, but sometimes' write what you know' is taken way too seriously.

Just your summary here has more things I want to read about than most novels. As such, I say it's entirely up to you, but I would happily read your accounts.

Mike

 Comment Written 06-Jun-2022


reply by the author on 13-Jun-2022
    hi Mike, I totally agree with you about many biographies/autobiographies. I've done a lot of stuff because I took every opportunity thrown at me. Working for charities helped a lot too.

    I spent a lot of time in England - Surry & Sussex, also Newbury & Oxfordshire. My wife is from Oxford and my daughter was born in England. Love it but we're in Northern Ireland (so home for me) now. G
Comment from Pam Lonsdale
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Your life is rich with experiences, and a book would be so doable drawing from your deep well.

You have a humorous voice to your narrative. I would pick a topic from the many available to you here, and flesh it out - fictionalize it.

I recently wrote a piece that was so painful to write in first person that I rewrote it in third. That way I removed myself from the story and it made it easier to write.

You've got something here - expand on it!

 Comment Written 06-Jun-2022


reply by the author on 13-Jun-2022
    Yeah, i tend not to take things too seriously although some merit it. Many thanks. G
Comment from royowen
Excellent
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Although the events are extraordinary, it's not the events that happened so much as the way you thought, felt and developed your thinking, and whether you have become rather cynical, as I am, but not enough to seek after truth, or become susceptible to ongoing self resistant to anything truly rational. All of us think our lives are mundane, my wife, child and myself passed through Omagh and stopped to absorb the angst and devastation, and like the mass shooting in Texas, in the last few days, is a defining moment in these.collective tragedies, so was Omagh. I've written a poem about the situation in America, called "Amendment two's a sacred cow" so I'm fascinated by how events are "enough is enough" but I couldn't give a damn about who've you met, or your suffering, but I care about how it's shaped you G, blessings, Roy

 Comment Written 05-Jun-2022


reply by the author on 13-Jun-2022
    I agree, it's all in the shaping. if you're just rhyming off names, and places, there's not much point. I've always been very self-reflective so it's all good. Much appreciated, as always, Roy. G
Comment from K.L. Rockquemore
Excellent
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This is a tremendous write!
I appreciate your openness and honesty, as I am sure this could not have been easy for you.
You have lead a very colorful, vibrant life so far, filled with drama, violence, trepidation, and travel.
You have experienced enough for a few lifetimes.
I see my multiple novels here.
At the very least a best selling autobiography.
Thanks for sharing.

 Comment Written 05-Jun-2022


reply by the author on 13-Jun-2022
    Many thanks for the great feedback. My wife and I were chatting about things we'd done the other day and it felt like we were making crap up but we weren't. Sometimes things don't feel real. lol All the best G
Comment from karenina
Excellent
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This is fascinating. Disturbingly jarring to read you lived through it. Each of your opening paragraphs to the three impactful events caught me up, brought me within, and made me feel ~ even when it hurt to imagine!

You'll be the best arbiter of what this autobiographical writing would do for you. Would it be therapeutic? Would it trigger PTSD as yet untapped?

I can tell you I'd be front and center, waiting to read your work. Avril will be on my mind for a long time to come. As will you.

Karenina


 Comment Written 05-Jun-2022


reply by the author on 13-Jun-2022
    I don't do PTSD! lol Haven't got the time. G
reply by karenina on 13-Jun-2022
    Ah, if only it were that simple...

Comment from damommy
Excellent
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You have had some truly frightening experiences, and come through them by the grace of God. I think everyone will be interested in hearing more. You always grab a reader's attention and hold it throughout, leaving one wanting more.

 Comment Written 05-Jun-2022


reply by the author on 13-Jun-2022
    That's always good to hear. G
Comment from K. Lang-Slattery
Excellent
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This is a fine piece of writing; toughing, insightful, and self-revealing. Yes, you should write more biographical pieces. I think the 3 opening paragraphs would be a great way to begin a full biography.
. Small correction in first line: "The barrel of (a) short-nosed handgun dug into my bare knee,"
. "The three beginnings here, I'd be proud to have start off a story of mine, but" seems a bit awkward to read. How about "I'd be proud to have start off any story of mine with one of these three beginnings, but"
. The paragraph that begins "I'm toying with the idea . ." seems a bit long for the content (too much explanation slows down the movement of the essay).
I like the way you end the essay. Makes the reader want to know how you will go forward.

 Comment Written 05-Jun-2022


reply by the author on 13-Jun-2022
    Many thanks as always. G
Comment from pome lover
Excellent
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well, I think you should, for what that's worth.
You've certainly not lead a dull life, and being so young, you have many more years and experiences to write about as well.
These incidences, that you have alluded to, sound absolutely horrifying.
I was surprised to see that you were/are? a minister. If you are, still, what kind of cult, If you don't mind my asking?
You've certainly had many horrific happenings in your life. I hope that's the end of it and you are enjoying yourself.
Good luck in the contest.
Katharine

 Comment Written 05-Jun-2022


reply by the author on 13-Jun-2022
    My cult started out as a joke but it's still sort of going. It was branded a cult but it's more than that. There's a lot of random acts of kindness involved and the price is folk have to listen to me spout things at them. lol

    My minister thing started as a joke too but I can still marry folk and preach. lol
reply by pome lover on 13-Jun-2022
    good grief! a man of many faces. started as a joke, but you can marry people - what makes their marriage legit? just curious. I mean, I couldn't marry a couple and have it be legal.