About the Author
Born in South Essex close to the River Thames and directly East of London, my childhood was peppered with memories of the mighty river itself.
We would swim, fish and discover hidden treasure in the tidal mudflats with the fragments of clay pipes we found taking us back to another era. It was here that my inspiration for writing was born. I began to keep a diary of my observations from life and documented my feelings and thoughts.
My wife was twenty two and I was twenty four when we migrated to Australia with a glorious expectation. The sun was shining, the people were friendly and Sydney Harbour simply magnificent. Together we were committed to making the most of this opportunity beginning the next step in our lives. Everything was new which gave me endless writing opportunities that I recorded in my diary which had spilled over into a number of books. We travelled around this incredible country meeting people from all walks of life and from many nationalities. We lived and worked in a variety of capital cities enjoying each and every experience. All this was tremendous fodder for my writing.
I began to write short stories and poetry, none of which I sought to publish. By my fifty second birthday I was able to finish working and focus full time on my writing, the results so far are The Alfie Norrington Series with Becoming Alfie the first in the series of four. I hope that you enjoy reading Becoming Alfie as much as I did writing it.
Follow Neil Patterson on Facebook, on Amazon, on Goodreads, Visit alfienorrington.com, Buy Becoming Alfie
About the book
Alfie Norrington was born into poverty in London’s East End in the first minute of the twentieth century. His life was a battle. From the Brick Lane markets where young Alfie pilfered and pickpocketed, to the trenches of Flanders, Alfie fought every step of the way.
Almost killed by a trench bomb he battled to recover and while in a military hospital Alfie made a promise that dramatically change’s his life. A true East End hero, Alfie begins his journey away from poverty armed with a robust moral compass and an open heart.
Becoming Alfie is the first in the Alfie Norrington series. It follows the life of a man who positively influenced thousands of people. The world needs more individuals like Alfie Norrington, that give much more than they take.
Review
Alfie isn't exactly born into the lap of luxury. Rags, poverty and a family with too many mouths to feed. A drunk of a father with a violent streak, but the children are committed to each other as only fellow victims of dysfunctional families are.
The story follows Alfie as he goes through pivotal moments in his life. The street-smart boy becomes the brave teenager willing to protect his country, although he is still but a child. Patterson goes into the trauma of war, when trauma was still an unknown entity or diagnosis. The suffering of the soldiers who survived WW1, despite being the so-called lucky ones because they returned.
The author draws a web of connections, which can only be created by family and people bonded via traumatic events in their lives. He takes the fragility and simultaneously the rapid changes during the early 20th century to create a story built on love, support and belief in each other.
With a few nips and tucks this could become a series readers will be eager to follow. Less rushed, more depth and better dialogue. This family saga, with a focus on one member in particular, is filled with moments of clarity and truth, as a young boy becomes a man under the burden of war.
Buy Becoming Alfie at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Buy at Amazon com. At Hive. At Bookshop.org.
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