Roger's Christmas blog

I met Jonny almost 20 years ago and over that time wrote his life story with him, before contacting a film company who created the documentary 'The Boy Whose Skin Fell Off'. This year, Tonto Press published Jonny's story, now available at most stores and on-line at Amazon. I'd met Jonny just at the right time, after I'd returned home after sailing the Caribbean. I'd had such a pirate-ridden, shocking, hurtful, startling, starving, adrift-at-sea, desertion of Captain time. I wrote it all down. Got the bug. Penned a trilogy of adventure fiction, then bumped into Jonny.

Roger in festive mood
There is no getting around the fact that getting published is a nightmare. Twenty years plus I have been sending stuff away, to no avail. You almost have to stalk a publisher or agent these days! Meet them on a train, in a pub or save their lives because the accepted route just does not work. None the less, Tonto Press read one of my manuscripts this year and published Jonny's story.

So 2007 has been a great year. The charity is coming along a treat and I have done quite a few signings, which are fun. I usually take along a sign that states 'author here' as a bit of humour. I love it, especially when a young girl came up to me and said, 'Oh, I thought that said, "Arthur"!'

Roll on 2008 is all I can say.

Roger Stutter

Roger Stutter is the author of Jonny Kennedy: The Story of the Boy Whose Skin Fell Off.