The first post

Breaking my blog duck and posting into the ether is a bit daunting, but this is just a quick greeting to anyone who stumbles on this, or who comes looking for a good read. This is the blog of Tom Ratcliffe, serving Police Officer and published author - my book is 'Prisoners, Property and Prostitutes'. The publisher's website says: Readers from every walk of life will find this book amusing, fascinating and moving as they either nod sagely in agreement, throw their hands up in horror, or laugh helplessly out loud as Tom’s story unfolds. Read this and you will never look at your fellow human beings in the same light again. It gives an account of many of the people and situations I have encountered, and is not due for release until January 2010 - however you can order a copy from the publisher at http://www.troubador.co.uk/book_info.asp?bookid=938 or you can preorder it at all good online outlets. You can read a sample chapter via the publisher's link above as well, or another sample chapter on Amazon just here http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/reader/184876216X/ref=sib_dp_ptu#reader-page Some 300 plus copies have already been bought (I am delighted to say) and feedback is all positive, apart from a few whose other halves have confiscated their copies because the laughter from the reader was interrupting an otherwise peaceful evening. Think Evelyn Waugh meets Bill Bryson and James Herriot, and you may not be far off, but this is a truly original work. I'd be delighted if you buy it, and very surprised if you didn't then like it, whether like me you are serving, or if you are retired, or even if you live safely outside the Police and wondered how life looked from inside this unique organisation. You can also pick my brains on the perils and pitfalls of getting published (or not!) if you want. Comments awaited, more to follow.