Forever Young Autobiographies

Essex local discovers life-story writing flow after Autism diagnosis

No Joe Bloggs by Joe Morris should be an inspiration to those wondering if they can pen a life story.

Indeed Englishman Morris fell into his autobiography project while seeking medical care.

And being diagnosed with Autism certainly did not hold this writer back.

In short, his book ranges from affectionate childhood memories growing up at Ilford, Essex, to quirky tales of London life.

Plus there is a moving account of Morris’s family, who survived the Holocaust, among other lighter topics like England’s 1966 World Cup win.

Forever Young Autobiographies caught up with Morris to hear more about his life, writing the book and encouragement for fellow creators.

Continue reading Case study: Englishman and West Ham fan Joe Morris on writing No Joe Bloggs

An amazing story of love, glassblowing and one family’s gutsy move to France

Building writing confidence through experience was key to Rachel Caldecott publishing her memoir Blown Out of Proportion: Misadventures of a Glassblower in France.

Certainly Caldecott never expected to end up writing, despite coming from a ‘booky’ family that included a writer mother and publisher father.

Indeed as a youngster she was interested in “too many things” and assumed something else was waiting for her.

But, despite these doubts, Caldecott’s Blown Out of Proportion was published in April.

And it tells the tale of moving, with her husband Chris and their two young children, from the United Kingdom to southern France.

Here they establish a glassblowing studio in an impoverished, sleepy town while braving scorpion-filled hovels, eccentric locals, corrupt politicians and traumatic legal battles.

Forever Young Autobiographies caught up with Caldecott to find out more about her book, the creative process and her suggestions for fellow writers.

Continue reading Case study: French memoir Blown Out of Proportion by author Rachel Caldecott

What The Japan Times columnist and skilled Japanese calligrapher knows about leading an adventurous life and living in Japan

Memoir writer Karen Hill Anton has certainly had one interesting life!

Firstly she grew up in New York City and hitch-hiked the length and breadth of Europe as a youngster in 1965.

Next, in 1974, she left the United States with her husband and daughter, 5, and drove a VW Beetle from Amsterdam to Afghanistan.

Indeed, the family was on the road, mostly camping, for a year before arriving in Japan.

“After our first year of studying yoga and martial arts under a tyrannical sensei, we settled in rural Japan,” Anton said.

“The province of Shizuoka, Japan’s premier green-tea growing region, is where I’ve made my home and raised my four bilingual-bicultural children.”

Anton’s acclaimed memoir The View From Breast Pocket Mountain has been awarded the Book Readers Appreciation Group (BRAG) medallion 2021 and the Self-Publishing Review Book Awards gold medal 2020.

And this week she shares with Forever Young Autobiographies readers more about the book, how it was created plus tips for new creators …

Continue reading Case study: American memoirist Karen Hill Anton and writing her award-winning The View From Breast Pocket Mountain