by Mike KendrickPublish: Aug 18, 2014Biographies & Memoirs
Book Overview
Thursday’s Child is a warts and all tale which places a Black Country lad under the microscope and we discover how he achieved success - including becoming Sir Richard Branson’s business partner for over twenty years! It is a remarkable story of one man’s journey from a poor council house to the dizzy heights of success. If yo... u are not crying at Mike Kendrick’s suffering - you will be laughing at his expense. Kendrick took up the dangerous and unpredictable sport of hot air ballooning – because he was terrified of heights. Placing himself in almost impossible situations, just for the thrill of the ride and to push himself to the extreme and beyond! We experience his often shameful and promiscuous life in club land. His obsession with aviation and his discovery of true love. How fortunes were made and lost and his life hanging in the balance as one crash followed another. Since 2000 Mike has been chief executive of The Mineseeker Foundation. It was the late Princess Diana who first planted the idea of setting up a charitable company that tried to combat the possible 70 million mines in the world that lay undetected.read more
BIOGRAPHY Best-selling and award-winning novelist, screenwriter & producer.
Simon started writing for national magazines (Reader's Digest, Cosmopolitan, FHM, The Great Outdoors etc.) and local and national radio, including News Huddlines and Week Ending (BBC Radio 2 and BBC Radio 4 respectively).
The worldw... ide publication of Manquito (Minerva Press) in 1995 launched Simon as a fictional novelist. A re-release of the novel will be available from Easter 2020 (published by DB Publishing).
Early in the writer’s career he became a playwright and had several plays produced by the Swan Song Performers and Stourbridge Players, with his absurdist play; Mannequin, winning a prestigious competition. The one-act play was performed at the Edinburgh International Festival (1998).
A move into non-fiction saw the publication of the revised edition of the world best-seller; Killing Time (Lion publishing) - foreword by Ludovic Kennedy. The author also worked on a documentary surrounding the book; Killing Time - The Noel Fellowes Story (Lantern Productions 2001).
Simon followed this up with his celebrated best-seller; Life After Kes (GET Publishing 2007) - foreword by Michael Winner. The book, which received national praise, surrounded Ken Loach’s gritty northern classic Kes.
In late 2014 the paperback version was released by Apex Publishing Ltd, with the foreword written by TV presenter Melanie Sykes. A documentary was made surrounding the book - celebrating 40 years since the release of Kes, for the BBC series Inside Out.
Simon is currently in pre-production with international crime thriller; Hide & Seek – starring Patrick Bergin, Leslie-Anne Down, Jamie Forman and Rita Tushingham. The original concept and screenplay was penned by Simon, who will also be co-producing. The movie is being directed/edited by Jason Figgis and will be produced by October Eleven Pictures and MFC Productions Ltd. Hide & Seek has a budget of $10 million currently secured in Escrow. Filming is expected to start in May 2020.
Simon has penned a comedy/drama script, co-written with his good friend and long-term writing partner; TV presenter Melanie Sykes called Bern & Glo. The writing pair are also working on a new fictional novel called Northern Lights.
The author’s last two non-fiction books both received national and international praise. The first, Thursday's Child, is a true adventure novel surrounding entrepreneur extraordinaire and aviation record holder, Mike Kendrick. Foreword by Sir Richard Branson. The book was published by DB Publishing (2014).
The second was a controversial book surrounding the murder of 13-year-old newspaper boy, Carl Bridgewater, in 1978; Scapegoat for Murder: The Truth About the Killing of Carl Bridgewater. DB Publishing launched the book in June 2016. The novel was adapted into a multi-award-winning Channel 4 documentary; Interview with a Murderer (broadcast 12th June 2016) by ITN Productions/Monster Films and presented by top criminologist; Professor David Wilson. Simon spent 6 months working and appearing in the documentary. A three part-series was sold internationally to the USA, Canada and Australia. The author has appeared on national TV and written articles about the book/documentary for The Observer, The Guardian, Birmingham Mail and Reader's Digest.
The author and filmmakers were rewarded with a Broadcast Award for Best Documentary Programme, a Royal Television Award at the RTS Television Journalism Awards and a Crime & Investigation award at the Real Screen Awards – all in 2017. They were also nominated for New Programme of the Year at the TV Edinburgh Awards (2017).
Following new evidence highlighted in the book and documentary a new addition of Scapegoat for Murder will be available in summer 2020 (published by DB Publishing).
Another project is a biography surrounding the French cinematic icon Jacques Tati called The Quiet Man. The book is being published by JMD Media Ltd and will be available in late 2020. He is also working closely with actress Samantha Beckinsale on a biographical novel.
Simon has also been commissioned to write a book about a new initiative to save the rhino using newly developed DNA technology - The Rhino’s Last Stand (www.rhinoslaststand.org/) - co-founder Mike Kendrick. The book will be published by Virgin Books.
The writer has written and co-producing a comedy pilot script called, For the Love of Ella, and further treatment episodes for a 6-part independent series for TV. Simon Golding and James Farina are co-founders and co-managing directors of the production company, Salopian Films, making the sitcom.
Simon, who has been guided by Shane Allen – Controller of Comedy at the BBC, has completed a sitcom pilot, as part of a 10-part series; Joan, which will star actress/impressionist/presenter; Francine Lewis.
Simon collaborated on a one-woman show with writer/actress/comedienne Helen Lederer; Helen Lederer ask...WTF? (Why The Fuss?). The show opened on 9th May 2014 at the St James Theatre, Westminster - to great reviews. The sell-out show enjoyed its last performance on 28th November 2014 with special guest Kimberly Walsh from Girls Aloud.
Golding has also appeared in shows Saturday Live (with Lenny Henry), Friday Night Live, Friday Night Clive, Tellystacks hosted by Paul Ross, The Culture Show (numerous episodes), No 73, Rough Cut and Ready Dubbed, Century of Cinema (BFI TV series), and The Time, The Place (numerous episodes), presented by John Stapleton and many more.
Simon Golding is director and organiser of the prestigious Bridgnorth Music and Arts Festival – now in its 12th year, which raises money for many local and national charities. He is also a presenter and chairman for the soon-to-be-launched radio station; The Valley Radio. He will present various art shows. The author is also senior media columnist for the award-winning and global publication; CVH 1st Class Magazine
The author is a seasoned campaigner for miscarriages of justice and works for free for several campaigns.read more
