New historical fiction novel inspired by a song about a Portsmouth ghost
I have just published my new novel which tells the story of Jack the Painter, a man who single-handedly almost succeeded in bringing the Royal Navy to its knees. The story is interwoven with that of Will, a modern day veteran, who is teetering on the end of his life, John Ogden
Paint it Jack
Tired of his dead-end factory job, Will – a North-Eastern lad - joins the army where he goes to fight in the War on Terror. He becomes a man able to save and take lives until one day his world falls apart. Broken and despairing he meets Jack, another lost soul, in the shadows of Old Portsmouth. Jack, a Scottish painter and once England’s most wanted man, also fought for freedom but his fight was many years ago. As the night passes they tell each other their stories. Jack tells of his role in the American War of Independence, and how he almost single-handedly brought it to an early end before he was apprehended in Odiham, tried in Winchester, and then executed in Portsmouth – hanged from the tallest mast in the Royal Navy. Will tells of fighting for freedom in a world which soon forgets the fallen and fractured.
The historical fiction novel Paint it Jack is set in Scotland, England, the USA and France of the late 18th century, and Portsmouth, Afghanistan and Durham of the early 21st century; it is a story of hopes, heroes, fear, loss and redemption.
How did the book come about?
A few years ago I came across a book of folk songs in the reference section of Alton’s Curtis Museum. The most modern of the songs was from the 1960s it was “The ballad of Jack the Painter”. In it the songwriter celebrates – 200 or so years after the event - the death and grisly afterlife of Jack the Painter. Why would someone feel the need to celebrate something long past? I needed to understand who Jack was, what he did and why he still inspired resentment, these themes inspired the writing of the book. But as I researched Jack’s story and travelled across the country I came across more and more homeless veterans who were living on the edge of life, I felt compelled to also tell their story. The book interweaves two tales Jack’s and Will’s the latter a composite of many of the homeless veterans I met.
Author Biography
John Ogden was born and raised in the north-east. In his early twenties he headed towards London in search of musical fame and fortune, something which never materialised. He eventually put down his drumsticks and as he was already able to count to four became an accountant, living in Hampshire for more than thirty years. Always fascinated by words he began to write and perform poetry appearing regularly on Vanessa Feltz’s popular BBC Radio 2 show and at Open Mic sessions. After half a lifetime away he returned to his native North-East in 2022. John now lives with his wife Janet in the beautiful North Yorkshire coastal town of Whitby, where he hopes to add to its considerable stock of stories. Paint it Jack is John’s first book.
Where can people buy the book?
Paint it Jack can be bought from Holman’s Bookshop and the Captain Cook Memorial Museum if readers find themselves in Whitby, from the publisher’s website www.wilfredbooks.co.uk or from Amazon.