Howard Rainey wants to write a book

[Buncey]

Self-publish. Print 1,000 - sell 350, give out 200 and slowly give the rest away.
Somebody has to sit down for hundreds of hours and get Big H's tales and then transcribe and then write.
If you find a novice to do that for under 2 grand the whole adventure will cost about 4,500 and you will get back about 3,500.
It works - don't for one second think that you will make any money from it. Ignore every pledge, ask for their tenner up front! Trust me.
Boxing books are bad, bad sellers. Eubank, Benn and Watson all bombed. Hatton and Calzaghe did OK, but nothing special.
Four Kings has done great business and there is a reason: George was ringside for every Hearns, Duran, Hagler and Leonard fight. It's proper.
Were any of the names being mentioned here as authors (all fine men) at a McMillan, a Scrap Iron or a Dunstan fight? Ringside for the divs when the big man was at the Lodge or St.Monicas? Do they know who Val is?

Adios.

[dondada]

Self-publish. Print 1,000 - sell 350, give out 200 and slowly give the rest away.
Somebody has to sit down for hundreds of hours and get Big H's tales and then transcribe and then write.
If you find a novice to do that for under 2 grand the whole adventure will cost about 4,500 and you will get back about 3,500.
It works - don't for one second think that you will make any money from it. Ignore every pledge, ask for their tenner up front! Trust me.
Boxing books are bad, bad sellers. Eubank, Benn and Watson all bombed. Hatton and Calzaghe did OK, but nothing special.
Four Kings has done great business and there is a reason: George was ringside for every Hearns, Duran, Hagler and Leonard fight. It's proper.
Were any of the names being mentioned here as authors (all fine men) at a McMillan, a Scrap Iron or a Dunstan fight? Ringside for the divs when the big man was at the Lodge or St.Monicas? Do they know who Val is?

Adios.

Can't argue with Buncey here. All sage advice earned the hard way.

I believe Howard wants to do a more general, off beat book though so maybe on this occasion that ringside presence is 'desirable' rather than 'essential'.

[DavidPayne]

Without wishing to sound negative. Steve has been there with two boxing books, fiction and non. But then Howard strikes me as the type of guy who likes a challenge.

[hurlock]

buncey is right in a way as there wont be that much intrest regardless of great story's but on the positive it could be a classic rag's to riches (poverty to skint D )

but you get these hard men books & tough guy stories doing really well @ W.H.SMITHS.

buncey if you are reading, how good would columbo's book be winning an unlicensed heavyweight tournament at 50 & being a former pro at lightweight.bouncing down the old kent rd & being a hungarian import.

[orbtastic]

Brian Hughes has done about 4-5 books, the first few were all self published (they look it to me anyway)? It's more a labour of love than money making. The last one has good reviews on Amazon etc and seems to be selling but it's all relative.

[Eraserhead]

On a completely unrelated side note, I read Four Kings a few months back and couldn't have been more disappointed. Hyped to near mythical status, I really expected something special. Sure, Kimball was ringside for each of those bouts, but that doesn't necessarily mean he SAW anything. It lacked the insight and style of Dark Trade, for my money. I did not get the fuss at all. A bit bland and monotonous, truth be told.

Anyone else have a similar problem with it, or have I crossed wires somewhere?

[dondada]

On a completely unrelated side note, I read Four Kings a few months back and couldn't have been more disappointed. Hyped to near mythical status, I really expected something special. Sure, Kimball was ringside for each of those bouts, but that doesn't necessarily mean he SAW anything. It lacked the insight and style of Dark Trade, for my money. I did not get the fuss at all. A bit bland and monotonous, truth be told.

Anyone else have a similar problem with it, or have I crossed wires somewhere?

I was a bit underwhelmed myself after the hype...I read it quite a while back now, might have to give it another try.

[ERIC GUY]

Howard does have some great stories, I 1st him in 1986, he was at the Fitzroy Lodge as a trainer, I was in the army at the time, and was helping coach the Juniors at the lodge, I was also coaching the Guards Boxing team at Wellington Barracks where I was based, and we used to bring some of the lodge boxers to wellington barracks for sparring, Val Golding, Terry Dunstun, Rocky Bryan, good old days, and they used to get fed as well with Army food!!
others that used to train at wellington barracks that I organised were pro's Sylvester Mittee, Prince Rodney, Keith Bristol.. happy days.......

[hurlock]

memoirs of big guy :!:

why dont you write a book el??

[Scrap]

Do you mean Guy Williamson Hurlock

[palooka]

Self-publish. Print 1,000 - sell 350, give out 200 and slowly give the rest away.
Somebody has to sit down for hundreds of hours and get Big H's tales and then transcribe and then write.
If you find a novice to do that for under 2 grand the whole adventure will cost about 4,500 and you will get back about 3,500.
It works - don't for one second think that you will make any money from it. Ignore every pledge, ask for their tenner up front! Trust me.
Boxing books are bad, bad sellers. Eubank, Benn and Watson all bombed. Hatton and Calzaghe did OK, but nothing special.
Four Kings has done great business and there is a reason: George was ringside for every Hearns, Duran, Hagler and Leonard fight. It's proper.
Were any of the names being mentioned here as authors (all fine men) at a McMillan, a Scrap Iron or a Dunstan fight? Ringside for the divs when the big man was at the Lodge or St.Monicas? Do they know who Val is?

Adios.

I just bought 'The Fix' (today) for my kindle just coz you are 'The Bunce' and you knew my idol Shaun Gray and always gave him and Patsy great credit. Fair play to you Steve, have a great weekend.

[palooka]

On a completely unrelated side note, I read Four Kings a few months back and couldn't have been more disappointed. Hyped to near mythical status, I really expected something special. Sure, Kimball was ringside for each of those bouts, but that doesn't necessarily mean he SAW anything. It lacked the insight and style of Dark Trade, for my money. I did not get the fuss at all. A bit bland and monotonous, truth be told.

Anyone else have a similar problem with it, or have I crossed wires somewhere?

I was a bit underwhelmed myself after the hype...I read it quite a while back now, might have to give it another try.

The best one I've read was 'The Corner Men' and 'Babyface in Hollywood'; those 2 take some topping for me; (This Bloody Mary is another good n though).

[hurlock]

Do you mean Guy Williamson Hurlock

No :!: though didnt he turn into a lawyer or somthing??? good story :!:

audley should enter politics :!:

[palooka]

a

[Scrap]

Hurlock, Last i heard He was a Policeman.

[palooka]

There's got to be a book about Paul Ryans' life. He was one of my very favourites. What a boy!

[Scrap]

Simon, honest dont think it could be done.

[palooka]

Simon, honest dont think it could be done.

I imagine you'd have to change a few names here and there; poetic licence. I'd buy a dozen; when you next see him please say hello from a fan what a puncher; what a heart.

[orbtastic]

On a completely unrelated side note, I read Four Kings a few months back and couldn't have been more disappointed. Hyped to near mythical status, I really expected something special. Sure, Kimball was ringside for each of those bouts, but that doesn't necessarily mean he SAW anything. It lacked the insight and style of Dark Trade, for my money. I did not get the fuss at all. A bit bland and monotonous, truth be told.

Anyone else have a similar problem with it, or have I crossed wires somewhere?

I was a bit underwhelmed myself after the hype...I read it quite a while back now, might have to give it another try.

I enjoyed it more than Sorcery at Caesars, but that's probably because at the time there was little written about Hearns.

I've heard there's an upcoming book on Hagler, but I don't know if it'll break much new ground.

I'd be interested to read about the pre championship years, as much as I'd like to read more about Briscoe but it seems that will never see the light of day.

[Scrap]

Simon, tell you a safe story. He was Boxing up in the Midlands, He left me after Hale, although I cornered Him for His next 2. After that we lost touch. So i was surprised to get a call to work the corner. Was warming up, and He hit with gloves on, this brick wall, saying I feel good tonight then turned to the next wall and whacked that. His Fist went straight through the wall it was plasterboard . Think the opponent in the next room Shit Himself.

[palooka]

He struck me as being a right livewire; Id've shit myself if I were boxing him. He'd have you out in a flash. He were one of my favourites from the 90's. You got a story well worth telling Scrap; my dads done one through lulu (self publishing thing); he really enjoyed doing it and it helped him to concentrate etc after a stroke. He really buzzes about it coz we got the local library to stock it in the local author section. You got to give it a go.