It's taken me almost three years, but I've finally finished my book about Acorns, Harry, and my Channel Swim. I still have to proof-read it to correct the many grammar and spelling errors it no-doubt currently contains, but the content is all finished. It's 100,000 words long, which partly explains why it's taken me so long. Before anyone asks, no, it was not a cathartic process committing my thoughts and emotions to 'paper'. It was actually very painful and difficult, and it's not easy typing whilst crying, so over the years I've made repeated efforts at completing this book. The last, determined effort, finally got me there. Writers are often advised to wait a period of weeks or even months before proof-reading their own work, but as the many of the chapters were written months ago, I intend to start as soon as possible. I'm hoping to have further updates available soon. |
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Photo courtesy of FT Images
France it that way, yes? (Photo courtesy of Mother Hen Films) It's almost two years since I undertook to swim the Channel for Acorns. And it's over three years since I awoke with the ridiculous notion of doing so.
I believe I still bear the mental scars from freezing cold early morning swims throughout the winter, from hour upon hour in the pool at David Lloyd's, and from half a day spent in the water at Windermere. But I genuinely remember little about the actual Channel swim itself. So it's good timing that the film about Channel swimming*, so expertly put together by S&O media, airs on Monday 18th July (2016). The production was purchased by the BBC, and will be shown at 21:00 on BBC4. Over 220 hours of footage were captured by the film crew, and this was then painstakingly edited down to produce a very focused and condensed one hour documentary. Reviews so far are very positive (here's one from the Radio Times: http://www.radiotimes.com/tv-programme/e/d8qjj8/swim-the-channel), and a pre-edit that I managed to see certainly showed me that the film is very representative of my experiences. And before anyone asks, no, I'm not planning on doing it again! *Contains partial nudity and the occasional profanity.
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Alan GaleOne time soldier, part-time author, full-time training manager, husband and father. Archives
January 2024
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