Clacton Gazette

Clacton: Book prize for first-time writer Darren

3:20pm Tuesday 2nd September 2008

By Claire Owen »

A humorous account of one man's battle with testicular cancer has won a national prize.

One Lump or Two by Darren Couchman received over 350 votes to win this month's AmazonClicks Reader's Choice Award, run by the online booksellers.

The 35-year-old, who survived testicular cancer himself eight years ago, said he was delighted to to have won.

“"I'm absolutely over the moon and would like to thank everyone who voted for me,” said father-of three Darren, who lives in Barrington Close, Little Clacton.

“I have received such good feedback from both men and women who have read the book, and I’m really grateful to everyone who has got in touch with me to share their views on this serious subject."

He added: “I wrote the book to raise awareness of testicular cancer in a light-hearted way and to send out a clear simple message to men everywhere - keep an eye on your balls.

“If the book helps save one man's life, then I've fulfilled what I wanted to do.”

AmazonClicks.com called One Lump or Two a “hugely popular book”.

The site says: “Darren Couchman's irreverent humour could easily allow you to forget that this is a serious subject.

“His journey and the way he deals with it is enlightening and essential reading for anyone who is either too complacent or too terrified to investigate their own well being properly.”

The book is available in Clacton's Tesco store as well as Amazon and onelumportwo.org.uk

Llandudno barrister’s thriller is hit with critics

Aug 8 2008 by Carl Butler, Daily Post

A BARRISTER from North Wales has been awarded a prize for best first novel by the website Amazonclicks.com, a literary review site.

The book, That Immortal Jukebox Sensation, was launched last month at the Embassy Club in Mayfair, London.

Gareth Roberts, 38, was born in Llandudno and now lives in Rossett, near Wrexham, with his wife Ines and two young sons Reuben and Ianto.

He works at the Nicholas Street Chambers in Chester.

He said: “I am about to embark on a book signing tour of Waterstones which takes me from Clapham to Birkenhead and various places in between.

“It was also reviewed in The Sun last month – they described it as a ‘debut to be proud of.’

Much to my amusement as a good Welshman, the book was also given to the English rugby team as part of their tour pack when they recently visited New Zealand!”

His book, partly based on life experiences, centres on Richie Strafe, a lawyer who used to be in a band and that was what he really wanted to do.

But when he failed to record a hit song which would bring him immortality he hit on an idea to go down in history in another way – by murdering his former friend, now rock legend Danny Cappaldi.

There is a sub plot where Strafe defends a murderer in court and goes to see his client in Altcourse Prison in Liverpool, which reflects Gareth’s own career as a criminal barrister.

Gareth says that some of it is based on his own life – and “the rest is just a story, greatly exaggerated.”

He uses the court scene to poke some fun at pompous barristers – but quickly adds: “Of course there are none of them in Chester, although I have met a few of them in my time.”

Gareth joined the Chester chambers after being called to the bar in 1999. Gareth has a solely criminal practice, predominantly defending. But he always wanted to write a novel and revealed how he had actually written it two years ago.

His colleagues at the bar, he says, have been extremely supportive

“Some of them have bought it and their reaction has been positive.

“There has not been as much ribbing as I thought but you do leave yourself wide open when you do something like this.

“They have been very good. Every barrister would like to be a novelist – we all love a good story.”

Gareth went to London at the age of 18 and studied politics at the London School of Economics. When he graduated, he worked in Parliament as a speech writer and researcher before training to be barrister and returned closer to home to work as a criminal barrister in Chester.

Carl Butler

NORTH WALES NEWS

Aravind Adiga's debut Novel, The White Tiger wins Man Booker Prize 2008!

See the 'all award winners' menu choice and select the Man

Last month's Reader's Choice was The Stone of the Tenth Realm by Eva Gordon. After hundreds of votes were recieved the winner was just 24 votes ahead of the runner up Over by Christmas which will start the October voting in the lead. The popular Author's Choice for September was Pain Wears No Mask by Nick Morton, a clear winner.

Voters - remember to put the title of the book on its own in the subject bar of your email if you are simply voting for one already nominated (see the instructions on the Nominations Page if you are unsure). You would be surprised how many people forget to include who they are voting for!

Authors should add their votes by entering the title of the book they are voting for PLUS an ISBN of any of their own published works alongside in the title bar.

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THE BOOK PROJECT

A huge book collaboration project

Click links below;

Press Release for immediate publication

Follow this link for more information on 'The Book' Press Release!

TheBook - Forum Index & Q&A

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We are into thousands of visitors each week now which is fabulous publicity for the Authors listed.

Please keep those votes coming, as there are still very few separating the leading books. Remember to put the title of the book on its own in the subject bar of your email if you are simply voting for one already nominated (see the instructions on the Nominations Page if you are unsure).

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Change to the Rules

Great news for authors! If your book has been nominated but not quite topped the pole for this month's awards don't worry you will no longer have ask the same fans to vote again. We figured that would be a pain so your votes will now carry forward into the next month and your book will compete again.

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The Book Awards

AmazonClicks is pleased to announce an annual award for the best loved books through the year. 'The Book Awards' will be announced on 1st December each year and will feature the top two 'Readers Choice' awards for the year. In 2009 the qualifying period will be extended to include all 2008 winners. In addition to the accolade, a cash prize and publicity will be announced during 2009. Watch this space for further announcements!

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