Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a 69 year-old cancer survivor from Tottenham. A family man happily married for over 25 years to my wonderful wife, and am a former prison officer. After spending 25 years in the UK’s prison service, and having become increasingly disillusioned with stifling modern prison service politics and practices, in 2008 I took my pension pot and ran, moving to Spain to spend my early retirement in the sun. This autobiography A Turnkey or Not? is about my prison service life is my first book.
My wife and I, however, temporarily moved back to the UK due to the economic climate, at the time. And I returned to working life.
I have completed a second book all about working at a major UK airport as a security officer, based on true facts it is an observational look at how staff, passengers and management treat being subject to modern airport security.
It is about my last working career after having to go back to the UK during the recession I obtained work as a security officer at Heathrow Airport Terminal 5.
This book El Dorado? No! Heathrow Airport is a continuation where my first book finished and revels the truth about how we all behave when faced with airport security the rudeness and the language directed at security staff by passengers and celebrities will amaze you and bemuse you.
Read the book and recognise yourself in the book.
These two book have actually led to a third book making them into a trilogy of my quest to find my personal El Dorado.
The third book will be about real people too and my experience of living on an ex pat community in Spain. This too will be a great read but will mean I will have to move for my own safety after revealing the behaviour of my fellow Brits abroad.
But before this book can be completed I have written a prequel all about when I was a driving instructor in Central London back in the early 1980’s Which is now available too.
Pitched somewhere between the old English classic carry-on films and a series of sexy films called Confessions of… It is a humorous memoir of my time as a driving instructor; I reveal the stories of what can happen on a driving lesson, the offers of sexual favours and the actual driving routes I used all around the famous and historic landmarks of London. My books are all humorous memoirs hopefully in the style of Terry Pratchett They should appeal to anybody who likes anecdotal tales, I have tried to write in the style that would make you believe you are in a restaurant and I am with you just recounted episodes of my life or in a pub having a drink with friends, and I’m relating anecdotal stories about my life to you.
The Road to ‘L’ is an eye-opening poignant and often hilarious romp through my years as a professional driving instructor in Central London back in the early 1980s. I reveal people’s behaviour, conversations and downright dangerous things that happened to me during their lessons and their time learning to drive in my tuition car.
I reveal the amazing tales of some of the things that could have come straight out of a Bond movie, the inappropriate offers of sex, and you will meet the amazing sister Mary Clara and her meeting with one of the famous Beatles back in the day. Travel throughout London and all the amazing sites this city offers and all on a driving lesson, or be part of being bombed twice in one day on two separate lessons, by the IRA.
Learn about the Falkland Islands war, from the perspective of both sides.
My book is a journey through the eyes of a professional driving instructor that will amaze you and also amuse you. It gives you a chronological history of the world events that affected London during this period, and of course about learning to drive a car. But in reality, the book is about people and how they can reveal so much about themselves whilst in the company of their driving instructor. With some amazing stories, and some scary situations, but above all humour.
I am now also working on a children’s book all about four stray kittens that arrived on our doorstep after some tremendous storms. Homeless, hungry and in need of help these cats have changed our lives and I felt compelled to write their story
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Road to “L” Do you remember your driving instructor? They sure remember “YOU”
I wanted to leave something to my grandchildren and their following generations so they would know what their relative of all those years ago was like along with what the world was like in their past
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Because all my books are memoirs I write down my memories in whatever order I think of them and in fact often have several chapters going on at once, then I go back and complete each chapter which in reality is a short story and then put them in a chronological date order
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Winston Churchill – The History of the English speaking peoples is my main influence
What are you working on now?
Two new books one is a continuation of my first three and is the final part of my quest to find my own El Dorado
The other book is my first attempt at Fiction although its inspired by the true events of four kittens that turned up at our doorstep some years ago after a terrible Gota Frie It is going to be a children’s story about the kittens adventures before finding their permanent home with us here in Spain
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I use social media Facebook, Instagram and Twitter but not really sure if any of them work so hope word of mouth from my loyal readers works to.
I have a website but am not really skilled enough to keep it updated as much as it needs
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Do it!
If I can become a published author then anybody can but you have to sit down and start, its a bit like a fitness regime you get all the correct attire and footwear but still cannot get out of your front door but once you start you carry on, and that’s what I think writing is all about just starting to set it down on paper then you can develop whatever your story is be it fiction or non-fiction
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t listen to negativity, stay positive and just improve on what you are doing now
My dad once said to me you have to earn respect its not an automatic right
What are you reading now?
I am not actually reading at present as I am trying to complete my next projects
What’s next for you as a writer?
I take each day at a time, as a cancer survivor its important to live each day and my time with my family is just as important, but to receive some recognition for my writing would be the icing on the cake
What is your favorite book of all time?
Winston Churchill amazing inspirational book
The History of the English Speaking Peoples
Author Websites and Profiles
Tony Levy Amazon Profile
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