Böcker av J.B. Morrison

Following the success of his 2019 memoir Jim Bob From Carter - In the Shadow of my Former Self, Cherry Red Books are delighted to publish A Godawful Small Affair, the fifth novel from the former Carter USM frontman. Described as ''Stranger Things comes to Brixton'', the novel (written under the author''s given name, J.B. Morrison) also includes a companion piece: Harvey King Unboxes His Family. Consider them a double A-side single of fiction. First, ''A Godawful Small Affair'' finds fifteen-year old Zoe Love missing without trace. While the police search the Earth for her, Zoe''s ten-year-old brother Nathan has other ideas. A year earlier, when Zoe was abducted by aliens, no one believed her. Apart from Nathan. He realises the aliens must have taken his sister again. As his father grows more and more desperate, and with his home planet in Brixton in danger of dying, Nathan decides he must get himself abducted by the same aliens, find his sister and bring her back. What unfolds is a heart-warming, heart-breaking and utterly compelling story of family love and loss, outer space, inner cities, and David Bowie. Elsewhere, in ''Harvey King Unboxes His Family'' the eponymous shelf-stacker and video unboxer joins a genealogy website and starts compiling a family tree. The website sends him an email - a distant cousin wants to share her version of the King family tree. It''s a lot more detailed than Harvey''s attempt. The main difference is that on Harvey''s family tree his father has been dead for twenty-six years, while on his cousin''s he was still alive until four months ago.... A discovery that unearths further family surprises, secrets and lies.

Frank Derrick is eighty-one. And he's just been run over by a milk float. It was tough enough to fill the hours of the day when he was active. But now he's broken his arm and fractured his foot, it looks set to be a very long few weeks ahead. Frank lives with his cat Bill (which made more sense before Ben died) in the typically British town of Fullwind-on-Sea. He watches DVDs, spends his money frivolously at the local charity shop and desperately tries to avoid cold callers continually knocking on his door. Then a breath of fresh air comes into his life in the form of Kelly Christmas, home help. With her little blue car and appalling parking, her cheerful resilience and ability to laugh at his jokes, Kelly changes Frank's extra ordinary life. She reminds him that there is a world beyond the four walls of his flat and that adventures, however small, come to people of all ages. Frank and Kelly's story is sad and funny, moving, familiar, uplifting. It is a small and perfect look at a life neither remarkable nor disastrous, but completely extraordinary nonetheless. For fans of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, The Extra Ordinary Life of Frank Derrick, Age 81 by J. B. Morrison is a quirky, life-affirming story that has enormous appeal. And it's guaranteed to make you laugh.

Frank Derrick is eighty-two. And apparently that makes him old. But he just doesn't feel old. Sure, his limbs ache, he can't sleep more than a few hours a night and it takes him a while to get going in the morning. But he's still Frank. A dad, a granddad, a friend to Bill the cat.So when he receives a phone call from Los Angeles with news that his grown-up daughter's life is falling apart, his natural instinct is to drop everything to be with her. Unfortunately for Frank, that means using his life savings and putting himself in danger of losing his home. But then, Frank's never been one for long-term plans. He can sort out where he and Bill the cat will live when he's back. And so Frank gets on a plane for the first time in his life. He was never much good at helping his daughter through crises when she was growing up. He left all that to his wife Sheila, who died nearly ten years ago. Now it's time to step up to his role of father to Beth. Joining forces with his determined granddaughter Laura, they begin The Reunion Project in an attempt to bring some happiness back into Beth's life and to bring the family back together again for one happy family holiday. Filled with moments of great sadness, joy and humour Frank Derrick's Holiday of A Lifetime reminds us all to make the most of every day and to appreciate those closest to us.