An amazing 'Rites of Passage' novel that is unique in its telling.John Ridgley is in a mental institution. He is advised to write his story as a form of therapy.He recounts his wild teenage years and his close,almost extreme heterosexual relationship with his friend,Tom Rickard. As they mature, Tom drifts toward responsibilities and marraige, while John not only struggles to come to terms with the changes in their lives but with his own personal trials. His overpowering sensitivity sees him suffer for the setbacks that both of them encounter on their journey to manhood. Tom marries Rachel and eventually John falls in love with her best friend,Julie.Tragedy follows hard on the heels of John's new found happiness and peace of mind which finally takes him to breaking point and on a course of action which dramatically alters both of their lives.
There is laughter,tears and an overwhelming insight into a man slowly sinking into desperate unreality. The final stages of this incredible story will leave you gasping with shock and astonishment.

Biography

Gordon Parker was born in Newcastle on Tyne and except for a spell as an engineer in the merchant navy, has spent all of his life in the North East of England.
Educated at Blyth Grammar school and Newcastle Polytechnic, Gordon started writing short stories and plays for local radio before writing his first novel, "The Darkness of the Morning" which was an immediate best seller and based on factual events in and around the local mining community in the 19th century.It was translated into Dutch,Russian, Bulgarian and Japanese and was serialized in a Russian magazine as well as appearing as an English reader in Russian schools.It also brought a personal letter of praise from the US President, Jimmy Carter.
He took another factual event as the basis for his second novel, "Lightning in May" which involved the derailing of the "Flying Scotsman" during the general strike of 1926. Again, factual happenings involving corruption in local government in the 1980's produced a semi satirical novel titled "ThePool" Using factual events to spark off fictional happenings proved a popular genre and a further novel, based on a second world war American shipwreck was completed. The 'Richard Mongomery' is still in the Thames estuary and contains over 2000 tons of high explosives. The novel titled "The Action of the Tiger" hit the bookstalls and was shortlisted for a hollywood movie. His short story "The Anniversary." was shortlisted in 2018 for the Fish Publishing competition at the Cork Literary festival in Ireland.
Being a great trad jazz enthusiast, writing novels took second place to playing a clarinet which he bought on the spur of the moment expecting to sell it after 3 months if his standard wasn't as good as Benny Goodman.---It wasn't by a long chalk but after 12 years he can scrape out a few blues numbers. His latest novel "A waking of Rooks" has been likened to "Catcher in the Rye". An unusual tale told through the eyes of an inmate at a mental instituion. This rites of passage story is direct and powerful right up to the amazing suprise finale.