A short while ago I attended my old school reunion as a result of which I came into contact with Michael Davis who also attended the same school. Well of course, once I realised Michael had written a book I simply had to invite him on to Linda’s Book Bag to stay in with me and tell me all about it.

Staying in with Michael Davis

Welcome to Linda’s Book Bag Michael and thank you for agreeing to stay in with me.

Tell me, which of your books have you brought along to share this evening and why have you chosen it?

I have brought my first novella, Virgin on the Ridiculous, which I am very proud of. Not having written a book before, it was an unexpected achievement to write and self-publish it on Amazon. It provides a slightly exaggerated record of the times I have spent on the water with my partner during our sailing holidays in beautiful destinations around the Mediterranean and the Caribbean.

I think we could all do with a trip to the Caribbean at the moment. It’s far too long since I’ve been! What can we expect from an evening in with Virgin on the Ridiculous?

I hope an evening in with Virgin on the Ridiculous, will find you laughing out loud.

Well I love the word play in the title!

We follow the hero, Michael, as he desperately tries to impress his new girlfriend Jet, who he has persuaded to join him sailing in the Caribbean. Despite his valiant attempts, his incompetence as a novice skipper inevitably leads to repeated incidents of near disaster. As the holiday progresses, we also learn how Michael was introduced to the challenging and rewarding sport of sailing with its unique language and abundance of interesting characters. We follow his journey from it’s innocent beginnings learning to sail a dinghy while suffering a cataclysmic hangover to gaining his first experience on a yacht in a near gale on the Solent.

I would love to imagine that the vivid imagery and sense of adventure in my book, would tempt you into a boat and go sailing. As one reviewer put it – “It made me fall in love with sailing whilst making me fear that I may never be seen again if I attempted to pursue it.”

That’s a brilliant response.

What else have you brought along and why have you brought it?

I have brought a selection of photographs from the British Virgin Islands, where the tale unfolds. These are pictures of sun-kissed beaches, emerald seas and Jet and Michael soaking wet in flimsy waterproofs – Well it was the height of the hurricane season!  Plus a bottle of Caribbean rum to add to the cocktails we can enjoy during the interview.

Hmm. Not sure about that rum. I’m not a big drinker and the last time I was in the Caribbean on a snorkelling trip the boat owner took a shine to me and plied me with rum punch on the trip back. I hadn’t quite realised the potency, thinking it was just a fruity drink. I couldn’t walk in a straight line when I got back to shore!

I started writing the book while lying on a beach in the Canary Islands. At the time I was simply recollecting memories of the sailing holidays my partner and I had narrowly survived. I found myself enjoying the process to such an extent that I persevered and surprised myself by finishing the story. I even succeeded in giving it an ending which would prompt me to write a sequel. Consequently, I have now finished my second book, Down the Hatch, about the strange goings on at the sailing club I belong to. Recently I have challenged myself with the ambitious task of completing a trilogy with a tale about the two of us living on a yacht in the Mediterranean.

Congratulations on both books Michael. Thanks so much for staying in with me to chat about Virgin on the Ridiculous.

Virgin on the Ridiculous

A light hearted tale of the ridiculous mishaps suffered by a novice skipper in his desperate attempts to impress the feisty Jet as they sail around the British Virgin Islands.

Virgin on the Ridiculous is available for purchase here.

About Michael Davis

Michael Davis is a school teacher living in Kent. He loves to travel, trying to fulfil his ambition to visit every continent. He plays the guitar and sings having played at venues around the country including The Rock Garden in London. His love of sport involves him in playing football, basketball and golf in his more sedate moments. He caught the sailing bug late in life, initially in dinghies and now owns a small yacht moored on the River Thames. He tries to charter a yacht in a new destination each year and hopes to spend a prolonged period sailing around the Mediterranean in the future.

You’ll find Michael on Facebook.