It’s a light-hearted variety of humorous articles, short stories ranging from hypochondria to murder, an agony aunt column and limericks, plus a few shorter bits for those with a gnat-sized attention span. For travelers requiring an intellectual challenge I included a flying quiz, and some guess-what-they-really-meant malapropisms, all aimed at keeping passengers amused. For your reading comfort I have used a decent-sized font and made the book pocket-sized, and for those who only read books with pictures I have included a few illustrative drawings. If you've ever found yourself stranded on a plane with nothing to read, then this book is for you. It’s great to keep with you whilst travelling, and a perfect gift (suitable for both men and women) for someone who is going on a trip.
While working as a volunteer in a charity bookshop I would often help customers who came in looking for ‘something to read on the plane’. After conducting a comprehensive undercover survey in doctors’ and dentists’ waiting rooms, and watching incorrigible magazine readers who do their reading at magazine counters, I discovered that readers like the humor, letters and agony aunt pages. Those who actually buy the magazines prefer to sit down with a cup of coffee to enjoy the articles and short stories. This inspired me to give readers a bit of what they fancy, and I put together a collection of my articles and stories.
‘Should be compulsory reading to keep incorrigible chatters quiet’ – Frequent Flyer
‘Could also be used to ram down their throats’ – Flight Attendant.
‘The stories about me are hugely exaggerated’ – Author’s Spouse.
‘Shredded drafts of this book line my litter tray. Royalties from this book will go towards proper deodorized litter and reduce complaints about the smell’ – Family Cat
‘What a relief that will be’ – Family Dog.
“It would make a perfect traveling and holiday companion. The quirky short stories – some a little naughty – might well prove the book’s strong point.” The Mercury.
“Covering a diverse range of subjects, and written in a feel-good style, it’s little and can slip into a travel bag and be dipped into in-flight.” Daily News
“It’s flying off the shelves.” Write Now.
“There are short stories to suit all tastes, from humour to crime.” Berea News
“Something to Read on the Plane is a collection of delightful short stories to take the tedium out of flying and provide reading pleasure anywhere else.” The Independent on Saturday.