Authorpreneur Dashboard – Charlie Mellor
Drowning in the Shallow End
Biographies & Memoirs
Memoir of a secret obsession. A darkly comic true story about obsessive infatuation, revealing the depths to which people can sink, before they realise they’re in too deep… For years, all Charlie Mellor wanted was to meet the alluring Pennie Fenton. Unfortunately for him, this wish came true. Captivation with the corrupting Miss Fenton soon developed into an overpowering obsession which sent his life spiralling out of control and jeopardised everything he held dear. It was because of Miss Fenton that he lost touch with his family and friends, got involved with the occult, upset members of the Greek Underworld and even volunteered one of his own fingers to be crushed by a sadistic stranger. Before he could free himself from her curious charms, he would need to acknowledge her real identity and expose the deep, dark secret she had kept hidden from him. Only then, would he find the courage to rebuild himself through a bizarre appearance on national television, where in front of millions of viewers, he would abandon all dignity and reveal the full extent of his downfall. ** Appeared in both the Amazon top 5 memoir listings and top 25 humour listings. ** London Book Fair Litfactor Finalist. ‘Mellor writes with a deft hand, his comedy has a light, wry touch, combined with a self-depreciating sense of irony that is utterly endearing’ - Alan Strong, US book blogger. ‘Slow burning, quirky and surprisingly touching’.
Book Bubbles from Drowning in the Shallow End
Watch out for Pennie Fenton
Hell in high heels...
Sunny Scunthorpe
The industrial garden city of the North is re-evaluated.
The magic of TV
Charlie just about managed to flash a few mechanical grimaces across to the wrinkle-free anchor-man before the next landslide realisation, that many of the viewers watching this primetime programme would be his friends, his family as well as the remains of his rapidly diminishing customer base.
The teacher appears...
The path to enlightenment is close grasshopper
Lessons in life
The monkey on Charlie's back won't stop laughing
Alarm bells
Trouble followed Pennie everywhere - even to the idyllic Greek Islands.
In the grip
Apparently misery loves company, yet here Charlie was spending most of his time on his own. Friendships invariably took second place to Pennie by this stage and many of the more fragile relationships with old mates had already been broken.
Isn't it ironic
The benefits of deferred gratification...
Seduced by Marianne Faithfull
He was interested in how someone from aristocratic roots, who had enjoyed a high profile singing career and was girlfriend to one of the most successful vocalists of his generation; could be reduced to living on the streets of London as a destitute addict. Despite the subject matter Charlie found the book entertaining and ultimately uplifting as it told how Faithfull went on to rebuild her life and career. It reminded him that, even in such extreme circumstances, out of bad comes good.
Mellow moments
Social smokers. This was long before cannabis became the narrow and tedious experience Charlie grew to adore.
Silk ties
Mastering the language of work was easy
Defenseless targets
Another poor sucker gets duped...
Duplicitous
Nothing was what it appeared to be
What made her so popular?
Charlie loved the way Pennie boosted everyone’s willingness to laugh at themselves and not take things too seriously.
The intoxicating Miss Fenton
Pennie Fenton was skilled at integrating herself with all Charlie's friends
A dazzling new career
Working for the Yankee dollar...
The best live band on the planet in 1983?
Charlie dragged everyone from his University hall of residence to see the Bunnymen so many times in the early eighties, that they all knew the names of everyone in the band and most of the roadies.
UK 80's music scene
With so much time on his hands in 1980, Charlie spent most days in his bedroom listening to alternative music. With few friends to consult, all his tastes were influenced by the music paper, the NME.
Early Woody Allen Films
An interest in Woody Allens early films helped Charlie to recognise his inclination towards slightly compulsive behaviour. On discovering any new interest he invariably became quite obsessive about it, collecting as much as he could to do with his new found fascination.
Her corrupting ways...
More background to the intrigue that the mysterious Pennie Fenton created.
The Shores of Lake Wobegon
Charlie Mellor could never understand the appeal of living in a place like Lake Wobegon, the fictitious town featured in the US radio show A Prairie Home Companion.
Introduction to a Secret Obsession
Here's how the book starts. The hapless Charlie Mellor reflects on the impact the mysterious Pennie Fenton has had on his life.
