Promotional Feature
An Alderley Edge author, whose works as a ghostwriter have reached The Sunday Times Best Seller List, has penned a new novel, this time under his own name.
The Art of Being One by Malcolm McClean is not the first under his own name. His previous books have been translated into Chinese, Turkish, Romanian, Korean and a special edition for India.
His latest offering brings us closer to home, with much of the action taking place in and around Alderley Edge, the inspiration coming when he was ghostwriting an autobiography for a Premier League footballer.
He says "When you get to look closely at what appears to be quite a glamorous lifestyle, you realise that these people live in a kind of bubble, protected from the real world. I started to imagine what would happen if one of them 'burst the bubble' and went to live in a world where normal people do normal things."
So The Art of Being One was born. The story of a goalkeeper, Jonathan Christie, who inexplicably walks off the pitch during a game, and out into the streets of East London. He jumps the tube on a journey in search of happiness, a journey which changes his own life, and in time a journey which changes all of our lives.
When Jonathan makes it back to Alderley Edge he holes up in a cave in a place called The Hermit, high up on the wooded sandstone escarpment that forms The Edge.
A small entourage begins to assemble around him. Marrielle a hippy musician who lives in a camper van and was taught to play by Halmund Bjorgum, the Elvis Presley of the Hardanger fiddle; a washed up journalist and his savant sidekick Moonboots, who are trying to cash in on the story of the disappearing goalkeeper; Paulo the Italian coach who fears that his colleagues are about to discover that he is 'driving on the other side of the autostrada' as they liked to say; and Pete who has spent the winter living in an old car with his pregnant girlfriend.
Each trying to make sense of their lives prompted by Marrielle and the philosophy of her mentor Halmund Bjorgum. "You have to get lost in order to find yourself" he used to say, and "Draw your life in pencil. If you don't like it rub it out and start again."
Then, whilst treading that fine line that lies between genius and madness, Jonathan has what he thinks is a 'big idea'.
The Art of Being One by Malcolm McClean is available from all good bookshops and online retailers from May 12th, priced £7.99. You can look inside, watch a film, share or buy here http://bit.ly/1GlS6bz
Competition...
To win a signed copy of The Art of Being One simply send your answer to the following question to [email protected] titled 'Competition'. Five copies are up for grabs.
The question: In the book, goalkeeper Jonathan Christie holes up in cave at The Hermit on Alderley Edge. What was the name of the man who lived there in the 1930's in a 'Bergli' hut?
Twitter hashtag #Theartof1
