Sixties City presents a wide-ranging series of articles on all aspects of the Sixties, penned by the creator of the iconic 60s music paper  Mersey Beat


Saint John Lennon is a book by Daniel Hartwell with Roseanne Bottone, a compelling mix of history, fact, fantasy and music that reminds us 'we are all one'. On December 8th, 2020, 40 year-old John Lennon mysteriously appears in front of the Dakota building in New York City to begin an intriguing adventure. John deals with today's hot topics: political discord, climate change, nuclear threats, terrorism, violence, and poverty. He re-establishes his relationships with Yoko, The Beatles' Paul and Ringo and, most poignantly, with Sean and Julian.

Bill: There are three ways of publishing books these days: via an established publisher, self-publishing, e-book publishing. You chose self-publishing. What made you decide on that method and what advantages did you find?

Daniel: Saint John Lennon is self-published in paperback, hard cover, and as an e-book for Kindle and Nook (on Amazon.com and BN.com). We wanted to maintain total control over the content and develop our own marketing strategy. We've already made changes to our first edition in response to today's evolving political landscape. Self-publishing allows us to decide what message is most important to share with our readers. For us - and for John Lennon - it's "love is the answer".

Bill: This is a work of fiction rather than a standard biography, with elements of science fiction and time travel. What made you consider the fiction-style route?

Daniel: The story is a melding of fact, fiction, fantasy and music. The time-travel element is a fun way to ask, "what if" John Lennon were here? What would he do? Through him we see alternative futures that may unfold because of decisions we make now. Imagine what might happen if he also travels to the past.

Bill: Give a short precis about yourself.

Daniel: I have been a producer and promoter all my life of large music festivals and concerts. I have worked with, and hung out with, many major superstars and talents as diverse as Diana Ross to Kid Rock, Alice Cooper, Cheap Trick, and even recently had the honour to present Sir Ringo Starr with a copy of my novel. I have always been a huge Beatles fan, ever since my big brothers started playing The Beatles every day, and John Lennon's mission of peace has had a great impact on me.

Bill: Also, present a precis of the basic plot - no spoilers!

Daniel: John Lennon is alive in this controversial time-travel epic. A twist in time returns 40 year-old John to us on December 8th, 2020, in front of The Dakota in New York City. He is fascinated by the technology of our near future world, but shocked by the religious, environmental and political turmoil he finds. Follow him on his adventures as he continues his work promoting love and peace. Saint John Lennon is a poignant, thought-provoking and humorous "can't-put-it-down" page turner.

Bill: This is a collaboration with Roseanne Bottone. How did this come about and what are the benefits and difficulties of co-writing?

Daniel: We met on the beach! There was something about her positive spirit that inspired me to share my idea for this book with her and, as fate would have it, she is a freelance writer. We had no difficulties as she fully embraced my vision; our collaboration was magical from the start. We were on the same wave-length; I was her muse and she was my interpreter.

Bill: Each chapter leads with a famous quote from a selection of people ranging from Nelson Mandela to Albert Einstein. Did such a large selection prove difficult to tie in with each chapter?

Daniel: It was incredibly time-consuming to find THE perfect opener to convey each chapter's lesson or message. We felt it was worth the effort, however, to set the tone and ground the fictitious story in relatable reality.


Bill: Several of the quotes are about peace. Is this what inspires you about John, his thirst for peace in the world?

Daniel: Absolutely! In the last 3,000 years of recorded human history, only a few hundred have been without war on earth. John pleads with us to give peace a chance. He says, "you may call me a dreamer, but I'm not the only one". Saint John Lennon is my way of stirring renewed passion in the peace movement. I hope this touching story inspires people to rise to a higher level of consciousness.

Bill: 'Imagine Reviews Like These' is a unique back-cover presentation of fictitious reviews from The Beatles, Deepak Chopra, Stephen King - even John Lennon is quoted as saying "This is the best book ever written about me". How did this clever idea come about?

Daniel: My co-writer and I wanted to do something that would really stand out. We came up with this off-the-cuff, quirky idea! Read in their entirety, the 'reviews' convey exactly what the book is about in a hilarious way.

Bill: Self-publishing means that you have to promote the book yourself. What plans do you have in mind to reach your target audience?

Daniel: I'll share just a few of our very exciting plans. Our screenplay is in the works! Right now, we have several people out in L.A. with connections to Netflix and Universal Studios looking at the book. We're about to release our Spanish language version - we expect it to be a hit in South America - The Beatles are big everywhere! This is more than a book - it's a movement. Universities with Peace and Conflict Resolution programs have copies of Saint John Lennon to use as part of their curriculum. I'll be in Liverpool for Beatles Week 2018 and have many, many wonderful people waiting for my book signings across the pond. I am also producing a Beatles festival and plan to do a TEDx event in South Florida with a peace-building theme. My co-writer and I are passionate believers in doing what we can to inspire action for peace and love! We're updating our website at www.SaintJohnLennon.com and encouraging everyone to visit us and see what we're up to and to communicate with us as to how they will be spreading their message of peace and love.

About the authors:

 
   
   
 




Mersey Beat Magazine Bill Harry attended the Liverpool College of Art with Stuart Sutcliffe and John Lennon and made the arrangements for Brian Epstein to visit The Cavern, where he saw The Beatles for the first time. Bill was a member of 'The Dissenters' and the founder and editor of 'Mersey Beat', the iconic weekly music newspaper that documented the early Sixties music scene in the Liverpool area and is possibly best known for being the first periodical to feature a local band called 'The Beatles'. He has worked as a high powered publicist, doing PR for acts such as Suzi Quatro, Free, The Arrows and Hot Chocolate and has managed press campaigns for record labels such as CBS, EMI, Polydor. Bill is the critically acclaimed author of a large number of books about The Beatles and the 60s era including 'The Beatles Who's Who', 'The Best Years of the Beatles' and the Fab Four's 'Encyclopedia' series. He has appeared on 'Good Morning America' and has received a Gold Award from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors.

Article Text Bill Harry       Original Graphics SixtiesCity      Other individual owner copyrights may apply to Photographic Images

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