Last week, I launched a Kickstarter to start my second book project. Focusing on the period after the “Miracle at the Macron”, I’m intending to write the story of Pannu and Carson’s final downfall, the sale of the club and the hope that this is a start of a bright future.
Why write a second book?
It’s been an idea I’ve been considering for the last six months although I was never quite sure if there would be an appetite for it. I asked questions of people I knew, people in the media and finally on social media to see if people were interested. The resounding answer I got was yes – that people wanted to read a follow up book.
There’s been a lot that has happened both in Birmingham and in Honf Kong since I wrote the last book – and much that I have not been able to publish. While like last time I have to be legally careful with what I write, I want to try and write about why things at Birmingham City have turned out in the way they have – and why we as fans should not feel we have not got any control over our club.
Why Kickstarter?
I spent some time researching how to go about printing a book in the UK and the painful truth is that unless I have some way of guaranteeing sales it’s not worth it. I’m all too aware that likes on Facebook and positive comments don’t necessarily equal people buying the book – and if I’m brutally honest, I need something solid if I’m to commit 12 months of my life to a huge project like this.
However, I think it’s more than just about money. One of the things I want to do is to make the whole project open – so people can see how the book is mapped out and written, and make suggestions on what they would like to see and have answered. Using Kickstarter I can create a platform to share information and talk with those who have backed the project from the off, to properly bring them into the process.
Why get involved?
Right now the club is buttoned up tighter than ever and as such information is at a premium. The local Birmingham press is under the control of a huge media conglomerate which cares more about clicks and page impressions than actual news.
While it’s not a complete vacuum, I think we have less of an understanding than ever of who owns BCFC and what their motives for the club are. I know that not everyone shares my view, but I think its important that we do everything we can to protect our club – and that means understanding everything that goes on, the good and the bad.
My hope is by researching further and writing about the recent past, it will be easier to understand why things have turned out the way they have. I think we can learn lessons from this and help make the future of the club better, regardless of who owns the club.
How to get involved
Kickstarter link is here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1352185767/almajir-v-bih
If you have any questions or would like a copy of Haircuts and League Cups, please email me: hello@almajir.net
One thought on “Editorial: Book II”