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The Works of Jamie Kershaw, OD
Friday, 21 April 2023
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Since graduating from university in 2007, Jamie Kershaw (SH, 1992-97) has pursued writing as both a career and a form of therapy. His works, based on both life events and imagination, cover a range of topics, from hopes and dreams, to mental health, to biographies, including his newest venture Grandpa Billy, a biography of his grandfather George William Kershaw. Jamie's first publication, Plan 103f follows seven fictitious characters, young men and women who come together in the two years leading up to the 2012 Olympics. The book follows their trials and tribulations, successes and failures, heartache, romance, relationships, business enterprise, Olympic sport, musical shenanigans, and so much more. The second edition was published in 2021 and is the first book in a trilogy born of both fact and fiction.  The second instalment in this series is titles Squirrels of Destiny and returns to 'the Crew' in more recent years, set eight years after the original. Squirrels makes much commentary of the realities of the last few years through the lens of these fictional characters, featuring local heroes, and includes some non-fiction short essays in the later chapters. Both Plan 103f and Squirrels of Destiny are available from Waterstones, Amazon and Barnes and Noble.  Jamie's upcoming works comprise a more factual form, based on the real life experience of Jamie and the people in his life. Brain of an Angel: Short Works is a republication of an earlier work, a narrative of recent events from a more factual point of view than seen in Squirrels of Destiny. Beginning with the accession of King Charles III, Brain of an Angel covers topics from the fight of the England Lionesses in the European Championships, to life in Covid-19, and a series of topical essays on the local economy, travel, the war in Ukraine, music, and make up. The book also features a selection of poems on a range of topics, some topical others emotional or comical, and ending with a section called 'Tributes to a Brother', a memoriam of Jonny Kershaw who sadly passed in 2020.  Grandpa Billy is a historical biography of Jamie's grandfather George William Kershaw (1901-1993) based on a script left unpublished by Billy at the time of his passing. Edited in collaboration with Jamie's father, the late Douglas Kershaw, Grandpa Billy is a tribute to honour an ancestor, and has received attention from HRH King Charles (at the time Duke of Cornwall) who welcomed a gift of the book. Grandpa Billy lived a fragmented childhood thwarted by historical events of the day. His schooling was broken in order to earn money from an early age. As was his family whose parents separated in order to pursue their respective careers. Born to two music-hall performers, Billy started earning as a Mill Operative and Alhambra Call-Boy. Then during WW1 he served on POW Farms as a farm-hand aged 17. With the Armistice he lived into the 1920s and eventually married Elsie Walker. Together they had Jean and Douglas. At that point Billy had three main jobs - Grocery Warehouseman aka Vostizza Bill, Butcher Boy, and Dance Band Banjoist. Right up until WW2 where he volunteered for the RAF as Ground Crew. Two significant periods were spent on Orkney, and with the Biggin Hill Spitfires. This continued throughout. Then in Peace Time he found long term employment both with Jowett Cars in Bradford, and as an Engineering Semi-Skilled Inspector. Right up until retirement. Billy 'out-lived' his life story by 15 years.  Jamie's current project entails a more personal work, a republication of an earlier project entitled MIND Matters by Jamie and Christina Kershaw, first published 2015. The new edition, Hurricane to a Rainbow is a mental health research project concerning anxiety, PTSD, BPD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and schizophrenia based on the lived experience of authors Jamie and Sarah May Tulip, as well as research, interviews, movie resumes, literature, consultants, family relations, and ground-breaking conclusions based on first hand lived experiences from numerous personnel. This project is due for completion in August 2023.  All of Jamie's published works are available from Waterstones, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble. Anyone wishing to find out more about Jamie's work can get in touch at od@dcsf.org.uk and we can facilitate contact. |