Inside the Book:
Title: The Special and the Ordinary
Author: David Clapham
Publisher: iUniverse
Genre: Coming of Age
Format: Ebook
Author: David Clapham
Publisher: iUniverse
Genre: Coming of Age
Format: Ebook
John Haworth, despite innate shyness, has floated upward in a comfortable English home environment under the influence of much older sisters and their friends. After he begins a new school in the early fifties, the seven-year-old is looking lost when a classmate, Martin Holford, decides to take him under his wing. And so begins a long friendship.
Ordinary rules of life apparently do not apply to the confident Martin except, perhaps, when he allows his mischievous humor excessive free rein against the self-important. While on separate coming-of-age journeys, Martin and John get on fine, despite John's occasional resentment about Martin's ability to bounce back after perpetrating 'wrong notes' against the wealthy while John slaves away attempting to make new music sound modern. John, who has no desire to be to be an apathetic musician like his viola teacher, unfortunately lacks the talent, personality, and love of limelight to match his glamorous piano teacher or Katherine, the singer he accompanies on the piano. Now all he has to do is somehow find his place amid an uncertain career as a ghost composer where chances come as infrequent as success.
The Special and the Ordinary shares the unique story of two young people as they come of age and step into the future, each with a different idea on what it means to be true to themselves.
iUniverse awarded The Special and the Ordinary the 'Editor's Choice' designation. Here are excerpts from the enthusiastic editorial reviews:
"Definitely a worthwhile read, I recommend The Special and the Ordinary to lovers of literary fiction." - Pacific Book Review
"...heartwarming and uplifting." - Kirkus Reviews
"The writing is clear and refreshing, with clean sentences that move the story along at a brisk pace." - Clarion Review
Ordinary rules of life apparently do not apply to the confident Martin except, perhaps, when he allows his mischievous humor excessive free rein against the self-important. While on separate coming-of-age journeys, Martin and John get on fine, despite John's occasional resentment about Martin's ability to bounce back after perpetrating 'wrong notes' against the wealthy while John slaves away attempting to make new music sound modern. John, who has no desire to be to be an apathetic musician like his viola teacher, unfortunately lacks the talent, personality, and love of limelight to match his glamorous piano teacher or Katherine, the singer he accompanies on the piano. Now all he has to do is somehow find his place amid an uncertain career as a ghost composer where chances come as infrequent as success.
The Special and the Ordinary shares the unique story of two young people as they come of age and step into the future, each with a different idea on what it means to be true to themselves.
iUniverse awarded The Special and the Ordinary the 'Editor's Choice' designation. Here are excerpts from the enthusiastic editorial reviews:
"Definitely a worthwhile read, I recommend The Special and the Ordinary to lovers of literary fiction." - Pacific Book Review
"...heartwarming and uplifting." - Kirkus Reviews
"The writing is clear and refreshing, with clean sentences that move the story along at a brisk pace." - Clarion Review
Meet the Author:
David Clapham grew up in in Sheffield, England and studied botany at Oxford. After working at the Welsh Plant Breeding Station in Aberystwyth, Wales, he moved to Uppsala, Sweden, where he still lives today. David and his Swedish wife Lena have two children. He has also published Odd Socks with iUniverse in 2013.
Tour Schedule
Monday, April 3
Interviewed at Review From Here
Tuesday, April 4
Guest blogging at Inkslinger's Opus
Wednesday, April 5
Interviewed at The Zen Reader
Thursday, April 6
Guest blogging at Carpe Librum
Friday, April 7
Interviewed at Bent Over Bookwords
Monday, April 10
Guest blogging at Voodoo Princess
Wednesday, April 12
Interviewed at A Book Lover
Thursday, April 13
Guest blogging at A Taste of My Mind
Monday, April 17
Interviewed at Harmonious Publicity
Tuesday, April 18
Guest blogging at Lover of Literature
Wednesday, April 19
Guest blogging at Fiction to Fruition
Thursday, April 20
Guest blogging at The Dark Phantom
Monday, April 24
Interviewed at The Writer's Life
Tuesday, April 25
Guest blogging at Breaking the Spine
Wednesday, April 26
Interviewed at Niume
Thursday, April 27
Guest blogging at The Book Czar
Friday, April 28
Interviewed at The Revolving Bookshelf
Interviewed at Review From Here
Tuesday, April 4
Guest blogging at Inkslinger's Opus
Wednesday, April 5
Interviewed at The Zen Reader
Thursday, April 6
Guest blogging at Carpe Librum
Friday, April 7
Interviewed at Bent Over Bookwords
Monday, April 10
Guest blogging at Voodoo Princess
Wednesday, April 12
Interviewed at A Book Lover
Thursday, April 13
Guest blogging at A Taste of My Mind
Monday, April 17
Interviewed at Harmonious Publicity
Tuesday, April 18
Guest blogging at Lover of Literature
Wednesday, April 19
Guest blogging at Fiction to Fruition
Thursday, April 20
Guest blogging at The Dark Phantom
Monday, April 24
Interviewed at The Writer's Life
Tuesday, April 25
Guest blogging at Breaking the Spine
Wednesday, April 26
Interviewed at Niume
Thursday, April 27
Guest blogging at The Book Czar
Friday, April 28
Interviewed at The Revolving Bookshelf
Monday, May 1
Interviewed at Read Between the Ink
Wednesday, May 3
Interviewed at The Book Refuge
Thursday, May 4
Guest blogging at The Hype and the Hoopla
Friday, May 5
Guest blogging at All Inclusive Retort
Monday, May 8
Interviewed at As the Page Turns
Wednesday, May 10
Guest blogging at Feeling a Draft
Friday, May 12
Interviewed at Straight From the Author's Mouth
Monday, May 15
Guest blogging at Confessions of an Eccentric Bookaholic
Tuesday, May 16
Guest blogging at She Writes
Thursday, May 18
Interviewed at Blogher
Tuesday, May 23
Interviewed at I'm Shelf-ish
Wednesday, May 24
Guest blogging at The Writer's Life
Friday, May 26
Interviewed at Book Marketing Buzz
Interviewed at Read Between the Ink
Wednesday, May 3
Interviewed at The Book Refuge
Thursday, May 4
Guest blogging at The Hype and the Hoopla
Friday, May 5
Guest blogging at All Inclusive Retort
Monday, May 8
Interviewed at As the Page Turns
Wednesday, May 10
Guest blogging at Feeling a Draft
Friday, May 12
Interviewed at Straight From the Author's Mouth
Monday, May 15
Guest blogging at Confessions of an Eccentric Bookaholic
Tuesday, May 16
Guest blogging at She Writes
Thursday, May 18
Interviewed at Blogher
Tuesday, May 23
Interviewed at I'm Shelf-ish
Wednesday, May 24
Guest blogging at The Writer's Life
Friday, May 26
Interviewed at Book Marketing Buzz
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