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Ross Bryant

Ross Bryant

About

ROSS BRYANT’s life has spanned the post war technological revolution and is as multi-faceted as this, his first novel. It has encompassed a successful career, both as a designer in the engineering industry, and as an artist. His paintings are in private collections all over the world. This, together with 16 years experience as a glider and light aircraft pilot, has formed the background to ‘A Girl like Alice’.

He is married with two children.

Size Zero (Visage Book 1)

Size Zero (Visage Book 1)

0.0
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Description

<p style="margin:0px 0px 14px;padding:0px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;"><strong>&quot;A somber, disturbing mystery fused with a scathing look at the fashion industry. </strong><strong>Mangin writes in a confident, razor-edged style.&quot;</strong><strong> - Kirkus Reviews</strong></p><p style="margin:-4px 0px 14px;padding:0px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;"><strong>Condom dresses and space helmets have debuted on fashion runways.</strong></p><p style="margin:-4px 0px 14px;padding:0px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;">A dead body becomes the trend when a coat made of human skin saunters down fashion's biggest stage. The body is identified as Annabelle Leigh, the teenager who famously disappeared over a decade ago from her boyfriend's New York City mansion.</p><p style="margin:-4px 0px 14px;padding:0px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;">This new evidence casts suspicion back on the former boyfriend, Cecil LeClaire. Now a monk, he is forced to return to his dark and absurd childhood home to clear his name. He teams up with Ava Germaine, a renegade ex-model. And together, they investigate the depraved and lawless modeling industry behind Cecil's family fortune.</p><p style="margin:-4px 0px 14px;padding:0px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;">They find erotic canes, pet rats living in crystal castles, and dresses made of crushed butterfly wings. But Cecil finds more truth in the luxury goods than in the people themselves. Everyone he meets seems to be wearing a person-suit. Terrified of showing their true selves, the glitterati put on flamboyant public personas to make money and friends. Can Cecil find truth in a world built on lies?</p><p style="margin:-4px 0px 0px;padding:0px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;"><strong>In high fashion modeling, selling bodies is organized crime.</strong></p>

Story Behind The Book

Friends have been telling me, for years, that I should write an autobiography or memoir. I had always laughed at them until 3 years ago when I read an article on the five things you should do before you die. One of them was, write a book. I realised, for the first time that I had more than enough knowledge and experience of life to do just that. I decided to write a biographic novel. All that I needed was a hook, something to make my story stand out from the crowd. I needed a suitable principal character, male or female, around whom a plot could be woven, a person who was different in some way; someone with the talents for success, but with personal demons which would have to be overcome before his or her dreams could be realised. A few years ago, I returned to my office, from a business meeting, to find a very well dressed young woman, who I did not recognise, talking to one of my colleagues. After she had left, my colleague asked me if I knew who she was. It transpired that she was, in fact, a he- a former colleague who was in the process of gender reassignment. Needless to say, my failure to recognise him became the subject of much amusement at my expense. However, it was not until much later, when I was reminded of the incident during a dinner with friends and colleagues, that it dawned on me that, at last, I had my principal character. From that point on, the story seemed to write itself and became a hugely enjoyable experience. However, I soon realised that my choice of a transgendered heroine not only took me outside my comfort zone, as a heterosexual male, but would make the book difficult to categorise, in that it doesn’t easily fit into an established genre. However, I screwed up my courage had some POD copies made and rolled them out to people who I knew would give me an honest critique. The response was so overwhelmingly positive, from both male and female readers, that I decided that this unusual tale deserved a wider audience. The story is entertaining, romantic, and sexy, and, I hope, inspiring. There is something for everyone, from the difficulties of childhood to conspiracy theory, terrorism, religion, politics, aviation and spaceflight.

Media Links

Reviews

<strong>From Amazon UK:</strong><br /><br /><table class="MsoNormalTable" style="width:100%;" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" border="0"><tbody><tr><td style="padding-right:0cm;padding-left:0cm;border-left-color:#e0dfe3;border-bottom-color:#e0dfe3;padding-bottom:0cm;width:90%;border-top-color:#e0dfe3;padding-top:0cm;background-color:transparent;border-right-color:#e0dfe3;" width="90%"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0pt;line-height:normal;"><a></a><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Verdana, 'sans-serif';"></span></p> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0"><tbody><tr><td valign="top" align="right" width="0"></td> <td valign="top" align="left" width="100%"> <div style="margin-bottom:.5em;"><span style="margin-left:-5px;"><img height="12" alt="5.0 out of 5 stars" src="http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/02/x-locale/common/customer-reviews/stars-5-0._V45450368_.gif" width="64" border="0" /></span><strong>Stimulating</strong>, 1 Jun 2009</div> <div style="margin-bottom:.5em;"> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0"><tbody><tr><td valign="top">By </td> <td><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/pdp/profile/A3J9WOMIAZT6XF/ref=cm_cr_pr_pdp"><span style="font-weight:bold;"><font color="#004b91">Mrs. <span style="white-space:nowrap;">Primavera<img class="custPopRight" style="border-right:medium none;border-top:medium none;border-left:medium none;border-bottom:medium none;" alt="" src="http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/02/x-locale/common/carrot._V29439968_.gif" /></span></font></span></a> - <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/cdp/member-reviews/A3J9WOMIAZT6XF/ref=cm_cr_pr_auth_rev?ie=UTF8&amp;sort_by=MostRecentReview"><font color="#004b91">See all my reviews</font></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div>I enjoyed every minute of it. Can we have more from the same author, please?<br /> <br /><br /><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0"><tbody><tr><td valign="top" align="right" width="0"></td> <td valign="top" align="left" width="100%"> <div style="margin-bottom:.5em;"><span style="margin-left:-5px;"><img height="12" alt="4.0 out of 5 stars" src="http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/02/x-locale/common/customer-reviews/stars-4-0._V45457020_.gif" width="64" border="0" /></span><strong>A great read</strong>, 13 April 2009</div> <div style="margin-bottom:.5em;"> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0"><tbody><tr><td valign="top">By </td> <td><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/pdp/profile/A1EPFOKSV4N4K6/ref=cm_cr_pr_pdp"><span style="font-weight:bold;"><font color="#004b91">HJM <span style="white-space:nowrap;">&quot;HJM&quot;<img class="custPopRight" style="border-right:medium none;border-top:medium none;border-left:medium none;border-bottom:medium none;" alt="" src="http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/02/x-locale/common/carrot._V29439968_.gif" /></span></font></span></a> (England) - <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/cdp/member-reviews/A1EPFOKSV4N4K6/ref=cm_cr_pr_auth_rev?ie=UTF8&amp;sort_by=MostRecentReview"><font color="#004b91">See all my reviews</font></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div>Meticulously researched and both creatively and boldly envisaged, this is a thought provoking and hugely enjoyable read. Highly recommended!<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0"><tbody><tr><td valign="top" align="right" width="0"></td> <td valign="top" align="left" width="100%"> <div style="margin-bottom:.5em;"><span style="margin-left:-5px;"><img height="12" alt="5.0 out of 5 stars" src="http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/02/x-locale/common/customer-reviews/stars-5-0._V45450368_.gif" width="64" border="0" /></span><strong>A book of the can't put down type..</strong>, 10 April 2009</div> <div style="margin-bottom:.5em;"> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0"><tbody><tr><td valign="top">By </td> <td><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/pdp/profile/A3RD6UFXKXCC8I/ref=cm_cr_pr_pdp"><span style="font-weight:bold;"><font color="#004b91">P. V. <span style="white-space:nowrap;">Watkins<img class="custPopRight" style="border-right:medium none;border-top:medium none;border-left:medium none;border-bottom:medium none;" alt="" src="http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/02/x-locale/common/carrot._V29439968_.gif" /></span></font></span></a> - <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/cdp/member-reviews/A3RD6UFXKXCC8I/ref=cm_cr_pr_auth_rev?ie=UTF8&amp;sort_by=MostRecentReview"><font color="#004b91">See all my reviews</font></a><br /><font color="#004b91"><img height="15" alt="(REAL NAME)" src="http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/02/x-locale/communities/reputation/c7y_badge_rn_1._V45457015_.gif" width="58" border="0" /></font>    </td></tr></tbody></table></div>Why haven't I heard of Ross Bryant before. This is an excellent book of the can't put down variety. Although this is a work of fiction, a considerable amount of research must have been put into it to make it believable. I can't wait for the next book from this author. <br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0"><tbody><tr><td valign="top" align="right" width="0"><br /><br /> </td> <td valign="top" align="left" width="100%"> <div style="margin-bottom:.5em;"><span style="margin-left:-5px;"><img height="12" alt="5.0 out of 5 stars" src="http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/02/x-locale/common/customer-reviews/stars-5-0._V45450368_.gif" width="64" border="0" /></span><strong>Geoff Corbett</strong>, 10 April 2009</div> <div style="margin-bottom:.5em;"> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0"><tbody><tr><td valign="top">By </td> <td><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/pdp/profile/A3TK8VXETQ8Z8A/ref=cm_cr_pr_pdp"><span style="font-weight:bold;"><font color="#004b91">G. J. <span style="white-space:nowrap;">Corbett<img class="custPopRight" style="border-right:medium none;border-top:medium none;border-left:medium none;border-bottom:medium none;" alt="" src="http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/02/x-locale/common/carrot._V29439968_.gif" /></span></font></span></a> (London U.K.) - <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/cdp/member-reviews/A3TK8VXETQ8Z8A/ref=cm_cr_pr_auth_rev?ie=UTF8&amp;sort_by=MostRecentReview"><font color="#004b91">See all my reviews</font></a><br /><font color="#004b91"><img height="15" alt="(REAL NAME)" src="http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/02/x-locale/communities/reputation/c7y_badge_rn_1._V45457015_.gif" width="58" border="0" /></font>    </td></tr></tbody></table></div>A great read, a new dimension with current overtones, a book that I can recommend. <br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0"><tbody><tr><td valign="top" align="right" width="0">  </td> <td valign="top" align="left" width="100%"> <div style="margin-bottom:.5em;"><span style="margin-left:-5px;"><img height="12" alt="5.0 out of 5 stars" src="http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/02/x-locale/common/customer-reviews/stars-5-0._V45450368_.gif" width="64" border="0" /></span><strong>Fantastic read!</strong>, 9 April 2009</div> <div style="margin-bottom:.5em;"> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0"><tbody><tr><td valign="top">By </td> <td><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/pdp/profile/A17X6C70ACMCV9/ref=cm_cr_pr_pdp"><span style="font-weight:bold;"><font color="#004b91">V. J. <span style="white-space:nowrap;">Jeeves<img class="custPopRight" style="border-right:medium none;border-top:medium none;border-left:medium none;border-bottom:medium none;" alt="" src="http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/02/x-locale/common/carrot._V29439968_.gif" /></span></font></span></a> (UK) - <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/cdp/member-reviews/A17X6C70ACMCV9/ref=cm_cr_pr_auth_rev?ie=UTF8&amp;sort_by=MostRecentReview"><font color="#004b91">See all my reviews</font></a><br /><font color="#004b91"><img height="15" alt="(REAL NAME)" src="http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/02/x-locale/communities/reputation/c7y_badge_rn_1._V45457015_.gif" width="58" border="0" /></font>    </td></tr></tbody></table></div>What a fantastic read this book was. I'm a busy working mother with not a lot of spare time on my hands, but I honestly could not put this book down (which was recommended to me by a friend). The kids had to starve for a few nights while my head was buried inside it. I hope to see a sequel soon, I can't wait to see what Alice gets up to next. Thanks Mr Bryant, for writing such a brilliant page turner - more please, it really was a refreshing change (even if I did get a bit hot under the collar ;o) </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table class="MsoNormalTable" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0"><tbody><tr><td style="padding-right:0cm;padding-left:0cm;border-left-color:#e0dfe3;border-bottom-color:#e0dfe3;padding-bottom:0cm;width:.3pt;border-top-color:#e0dfe3;padding-top:0cm;background-color:transparent;border-right-color:#e0dfe3;" valign="top" width="0"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0pt;line-height:normal;text-align:right;" align="right"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Verdana, 'sans-serif';"></span> </p></td> <td style="padding-right:0cm;padding-left:0cm;border-left-color:#e0dfe3;border-bottom-color:#e0dfe3;padding-bottom:0cm;width:100%;border-top-color:#e0dfe3;padding-top:0cm;background-color:transparent;border-right-color:#e0dfe3;" valign="top" width="100%"> <p></p> <p></p> <table class="MsoNormalTable" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0"><tbody><tr><td style="padding-right:0cm;padding-left:0cm;border-left-color:#e0dfe3;border-bottom-color:#e0dfe3;padding-bottom:0cm;border-top-color:#e0dfe3;padding-top:0cm;background-color:transparent;border-right-color:#e0dfe3;" valign="top"></td> <td style="padding-right:0cm;padding-left:0cm;border-left-color:#e0dfe3;background:#cccccc;border-bottom-color:#e0dfe3;padding-bottom:0cm;width:.75pt;border-top-color:#e0dfe3;padding-top:0cm;border-right-color:#e0dfe3;" width="1"></td> <td style="padding-right:0cm;padding-left:0cm;border-left-color:#e0dfe3;border-bottom-color:#e0dfe3;padding-bottom:0cm;border-top-color:#e0dfe3;padding-top:0cm;background-color:transparent;border-right-color:#e0dfe3;" valign="top"></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0pt;line-height:normal;"><a></a><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Verdana, 'sans-serif';"></span></p><br /><table class="MsoNormalTable" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0"><tbody><tr><td style="padding-right:0cm;padding-left:0cm;border-left-color:#e0dfe3;border-bottom-color:#e0dfe3;padding-bottom:0cm;width:.3pt;border-top-color:#e0dfe3;padding-top:0cm;background-color:transparent;border-right-color:#e0dfe3;" valign="top" width="0"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0pt;line-height:normal;text-align:right;" align="right"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Verdana, 'sans-serif';">  </span></p><br /></td> <td style="padding-right:0cm;padding-left:0cm;border-left-color:#e0dfe3;border-bottom-color:#e0dfe3;padding-bottom:0cm;width:100%;border-top-color:#e0dfe3;padding-top:0cm;background-color:transparent;border-right-color:#e0dfe3;" valign="top" width="100%"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0pt;line-height:normal;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Verdana, 'sans-serif';"></span> </p> <table class="MsoNormalTable" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0"><tbody><tr><td style="padding-right:0cm;padding-left:0cm;border-left-color:#e0dfe3;border-bottom-color:#e0dfe3;padding-bottom:0cm;border-top-color:#e0dfe3;padding-top:0cm;background-color:transparent;border-right-color:#e0dfe3;" valign="top"></td> <td style="padding-right:0cm;padding-left:0cm;border-left-color:#e0dfe3;background:#cccccc;border-bottom-color:#e0dfe3;padding-bottom:0cm;width:.75pt;border-top-color:#e0dfe3;padding-top:0cm;border-right-color:#e0dfe3;" width="1"></td> <td style="padding-right:0cm;padding-left:0cm;border-left-color:#e0dfe3;border-bottom-color:#e0dfe3;padding-bottom:0cm;border-top-color:#e0dfe3;padding-top:0cm;background-color:transparent;border-right-color:#e0dfe3;" valign="top"></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0pt;line-height:normal;"><a></a><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Verdana, 'sans-serif';"></span></p><br /><table class="MsoNormalTable" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0"><tbody><tr><td style="padding-right:0cm;padding-left:0cm;border-left-color:#e0dfe3;border-bottom-color:#e0dfe3;padding-bottom:0cm;width:.3pt;border-top-color:#e0dfe3;padding-top:0cm;background-color:transparent;border-right-color:#e0dfe3;" valign="top" width="0"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0pt;line-height:normal;text-align:right;" align="right"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Verdana, 'sans-serif';">  </span></p> <p></p></td> <td style="padding-right:0cm;padding-left:0cm;border-left-color:#e0dfe3;border-bottom-color:#e0dfe3;padding-bottom:0cm;width:100%;border-top-color:#e0dfe3;padding-top:0cm;background-color:transparent;border-right-color:#e0dfe3;" valign="top" width="100%"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0pt;line-height:normal;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Verdana, 'sans-serif';"></span></p><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0pt;line-height:normal;"><a></a><span 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