Arabest Publishing will dispatch all customer orders post and packing free for the next 40 days. Thats how long there is to go until Christmas!!!!

5th October 2009

Completing book 3 took a little longer than expected but today we handed over to our proof reader and we expect to get the finished article down to York for set up and design by the end of October. That means the last book in the Tannadice Trilogy will not be in the shops for Christmas but we didnt really think it would be.

7th July 2009

The third book is progressing well and within the next four weeks we hope to have it completely finished. Working the Player Profiles has been hard going and I never realised how many of our players in recent years have been involved in so many cup finals with other clubs! Also, when it comes to promotion winning teams, there are literally dozens of ex-United players who have done the deed for a vast number of other clubs. Getting all the inforamtion is taking a bit longer than expected.

I'd like to think that we can get this final volume of the Tannadice Trilogy on the shelves by Christmas but realistically, that might prove difficult. There is still a lot of proof reading to be done and the design stage takes at least 2/3 months.

14th April 2009

On Thursday 23rd April we have arranged a signing session at Borders Books, Gallagher Retail Park, Dundee from noon until 1.00pm.

Ralph Milne will be there for the full hour and we expect to have Hamish McAlpine coming down at around 12.30.

We then move on to Waterstones, Commercial Street, Dundee where Ralph will again be available for the full hour but Hamish will be leaving at around 1.30 pm.

Both stores already have copies of the book on sale. It is also available at Dundee United Direct in Tannadice Street, Dundee;Grouchos, Nethergate, Dundee; Club 83, St Salvador Street,Dundee. ypd-books.com will handle internet sales and you can also order direct from Arabest Publishing. On match days, the book is on sale in the Tangerine Trading Posts located in the Eddie Thompson Stand and George Fox Stand.

11th April 2009

As expected, THE RISE OF THE TERRORS arrived on Wednesday and the last three days have been spent supplying the pre-order list. We will be delivering supplies of the new book to Dundee United Direct early next week and Grouchos will also have stock. Waterstones and Borders will receive supplies a little later and we are currently negotiating a signing session which will take place on Thursday lunch time 23rd April. More information on that will be available in the next few days so keep a watch on the blog. 

Early sales of THE RISE OF THE TERRORS have been way beyond our expectation and stock is just flying out.

31st March 2009

I am just off the phone with York Publishing Services Ltd. Copies of THE RISE OF THE TERRORS will be dispatched on Tuesday 7th April and should be with us within a couple of days after that. We have a number of pre orders to deal with first of all and these should be posted out/delivered by the end of next week. If you have a pre order, I will be in touch to confirm details.

All our existing outlets will be contacted over the next few days and we will then advise where the book can be obtained.

11th March 2009

The deed is done!!!!!

The final proof has been agreed - the print run has been paid - the button has been pushed.

After a couple of delays we finally got everything organised. Unfortunately the launch date slipped  back a bit and the book will now be available in early April. Pre orders are welome.

Just to tease a little I can tell you that the book discloses a new take on the origin of the Arabs and also reveals the beginnings of the Terrors nickname. We also reveal several other first including for example the first time numbered shirts were worn, first radio broadcast and first game played under lights. The important impact of Dundee United Sportsmen's Club and the resultant effect on United's finaces is documented.  

Short extracts from the new book are available in the Titles section above.

5th January 2009

The final proofs were received from the printers just before Christmas and after two weeks of checking, the final draft went back down to York this morning. The proof reader is still going over her copy but we expect first sight of a book within the next couple of weeks. Once that is received there will be final read through and then the button is pushed to start the print run. We are still on target for a mid March launch.

We will shortly be adding some excerts from the new book, The Rise of the Terrors to the website.

The Tannadice Trilogy continues with book 3 which is more or less finished in draft form. The next step involves gathering the photos and then begins the lengthy checking process.

25th November 2008

It’s been a while since I posted an update in the blog. I went back to work at a real job for a while but things didn’t work out. However, I am now back to the books again and I’m pleased to tell you that  A Passion for Survival sales are picking up well with the rapid approach of Christmas. Orders through Arabest Publishing  will be delivered or posted free of charge until 24^th December. Delivery within Dundee is guaranteed to be with you in time for Christmas.

On that note I can tell you that a book signing has been arranged at Waterstones, Commercial Street , Dundee on Thursday 11^th December from 6-8 pm. Ralph Milne will be with me so why not come along and meet a legend. A Passion For Survival is a great Christmas gift for Arabs.

For full details on Waterstones event go to :-

http://www.waterstones.com/waterstonesweb/displayDetailEvent.do?searchType=2&store=388|WATERSTONE%27S%20DUNDEE%20COMMERCIAL&sFilter=1

The second book is going through set up and design stage and we are still on target for a March launch. We will soon be adding full details to the website. There have been several enquiries and offers of pre-orders but until we have a firm date agreed with our suppliers, we can’t accept payments.

You may also be interested to know we are well ahead of plan on Book 3 and sections of it are already with the test readers.

1st September 2008

I’ve been very busy of late and a bit under the weather for the last few weeks so its been nigh on impossible to find time to keep the blog up to date. However, health has improved again and I was able to get through to visit York Publishing Services last week. The final version of the second volume has been handed over to them and the next step will be a professional proof read.

YPS have been good enough to start the work on this volume even although we are still some way short of having enough money to pay for their services. We still need to sell a good number of then first book before the second can be launched. It will definitely happen, its just a case of when.

Volume 3 of the TANNADICE TRILOGY more or less completed the research and the first draft should be ready by the end of this month.

FUTURE EVENTS

We are in the throes of arranging some special events in the coming month.

In conjunction with the TAXI CLUB I will be signing books prior to the match against Hearts on 27th September. A former Dundee United player will be there for a Question and Answer session. More details nearer the time.

On 30th October, Dundee United Business Club will be holding a Quiz in Club 83. Entry per team of four will be £10 and there will be the usual raffle. This will be a 50/50 Quiz with half the questions on general knowledge and half on Dundee United. I am setting the United questions and believe me they are not too difficult. ARABEST PUBLISHING is spomsoring this event and will be providing the prizes for the winners as well as a few  bottles for the raffle. By then we hope to have news of the launch date for the second book.

Sometime in November, we plan to have a book signing at Waterstones with a United legend in attendance. More news on that later.

17th July 2008

Well, there is good news and bad news.

First the good news - Book 2 is now finished - We are happy with the final version after it has gone through the test reading stages and the final redraft. There are a few revelations in the story but I wont tell you about these right now.

Within the next 2/3 weeks it will be sent down to York where it will undergo a professional proof reading before the design and lay out stage begins. Soon after that we will receive a proof for checking.

Now the bad news - we dont have enough money to launch the book just yet and although a Chritmas date is still possible, it is more likely that the second volume of the Tannadice Trilogy will not be on the shelves until February 2008.

But there is some more good news - Book 3 is progressing well. with just three more seasons to research and draft before I can  begin putting the final version together. The research phase of the third volume has taken much longer than the others because of the vast amount of information printed on United in more recent times.

Following further feedback on the Tannadice Diaries we regret that this feature has been discontinued.

7th June 2008

An extra source of information has come to light and this has allowed us to add more information into Book 2. By the same token it will delay completion of the second volume by a couple of weeks but we are still on target to draw a line under it by the end of June. That in itself will not get Book 2 going as we still need to sell a fair number to clear our feet.

There is one piece of fantastic news. Arabest Publishing has been installed as the main sponsor for Dundee United Development Association, one of the main fund raisers for youth devlopment at Tannadice. We are delighted to be involved with DUDA in this way. DUDA raises money through the weekly Lottery and members have the satisfaction of knowing that their subsciptions are helping make the Tannadice youth players of today become the stars of tomorrow. To find out more or to join go to the Dundee United Development Association section on the club website. DUDA also raises money through the Match Day 50/50 which pays out good cash prizes at every home game.

25th May 2008

We had a research session in SFA headquarters on Friday past and completed the check on player details for Book 2. There has been a slight delay in finishing off the final proof stage due to other committments and there are still some minor details to check out at the Library again but within the next 2/3 weeks these should all be done.

18th May 2008

I’ve had a lot of people asking about the next book and when it will be available. Some Arabs have even tried to give me orders with money!! Much as the cash would help to bring the bank overdraft down. I’ve had to decline it. The second book is well on the way to completion after the test readers returned their sections to me. We are now doing the final check before closing the file and getting it ready to go into the pre production stage. It will be released but the big question is when??

We are trying to have it available for Christmas, but that all depends on money being available to pay for everything. At the moment, we are still in debt and it will take about another good few book sales to put us into a position where we can print the next book. Hopefully we will see a surge in sales as Father’s Day approaches and we still have around three months before the decision to go ahead is needed. If we miss Christmas, the second book will probably be delayed until March. Only time will tell.

28th March 2008

We were contacted by Borders Books this morning. They were very keen to stock A Passion for Survival as it is a local book by a local author. Stock was deliverd at lunchtime today and the book is now on sale at Border Books & Music, Gallagher Retail Park, East Dock Street, Dundee. We can also report that early sales of the book are encouraging and feedback from some who have started reading it is very positive.

We are almost finished the second proof of Book 2 and parts of it have been distributed to test readers. If all goes well with Book 1 we are on course to have Book 2 out at the end of the year.

Research for Book 3 is progressing well but it is too soon to give any indication of when it will be relesaed. It will certainly be after the end of season 2008-09.

7th March 2008

A Passion for Survival-----------------------IS NOW ON SALE

29th January 2008

We had a meeting at Tannadice today to talk over some ideas for letting Arabs know that A Passion for Survival: Dundee United FC, a Comprehensive History 1909-1945 will be hopefully be available from 28th February. Today was also the day that we finally went public on the book and started letting everyone know. Still waiting for the issue of ISBN number though, and we cannot hit the button to get the print run started until they arrive.

24th January 2008

We have been offered and gratefully accepted a source to sell the book in Broughty Ferry. Once it has been launched it will be available over the counter by cash or cheque at Congratulations, 218 Brook Street Broughty Ferry (immediately opposite Woolworths).

17th January 2008

D C Thomson & Co Ltd will be offering six copies of A Passion for Survival: Dundee United FC, a Comprehensive History 1909-1945 in a free to enter competition as soon as copies of the book become available.

16th January 2008

The final proof bound copy of A Passion for Survival: Dundee United FC, a Comprehensive History 1909-1945 has now been printed following a trip to York to carry out the last of the minor adjustments. ISBN Numbers have been ordered and as soon as theses arrive the print run will begin. We hope to be able to launch the book on 28th February 2008. The marketing process has alreday commenced.

3rd January 2008

The first bound volume of A Passion for Survival: Dundee United FC, a Comprehensive History 1909-1945 arrived today. Its the first time we have seen it as a book and even in a plain white front and back cover it looks good. Over the next ten days we will be reading the whole thing again and with 125,000 words it will take up most of next week. Aftere that a trip to the printers will allow us to make any last minute changes and then it should be all systems go to publication. A January launch is not now possible. Mid February is more likely.

13th December 2007

Most of November was taken up with the final lay out by the printers. The final draft arrived two weeks ago and since then, we have been doing another read through. There were a number of changes made due to problems with the photos, typos and set up, and a few other amendments were neded to ensure consistancy. The amended draft was posted this morning and once the printers change the master file, the next stage should be a single bound volume of the finished book. There then follows another read through before we hit the button for the print run. Late January still looks like the likely launch date but it might stretch into February.

31st October 2007
The proof reader has come back with less than a dozen changes which we think is really good from a book with over 125,000 words. We now await the final draft of the book from the printers and that has to be checked from cover to cover before we instruct the print run. In other news, the second book is now finished and is on its way to the first test reader. Research for book three is well under way.

15th October 2007
A lot has happened in the last two months. We have found York Publishing Services Ltd who will arrange for the printing of my book A Passion for Survival: Dundee United FC, a Comprehensive History 1909-1945. However, unavoidable delays mean we will miss the planned Christmas launch and it won’t go out until January at the earliest. One reason for the delay was my insistence on a final professional proof read which I considered essential. Our website has been set up and orders can be placed directly with us at ARABEST PUBLISHING but we can only handle orders by cheque or PO. Fortunately, York Publishing Services Ltd are able to deal with internet and telephone purchasers using debit/credit cards.
 

15th August 2007
I gave up the Matchday 50/50 work at the end of last season as all the running around was too much for me. However, I was offered another job on match days that keeps me more or less in one place all day and I gratefully accepted the position of Lounge Host in the George Fox hospitality areas. As to the book, I spent several weeks trying to find a publisher but I was not really surprised to find none were willing to take me on. It is a huge project and the potential market for the history of Dundee United is difficult to gauge but I am determined to go ahead. My wife and I have therefore decided to self publish. This means we will have to take a huge financial gamble, putting up all the cash and borrowing some from the bank to fund the publication ourselves.

28th February 2007