#writephoto regulars ~ Meet Geoff Le Pard

Posted on October 22, 2018 by Sue Vincent

I asked the writephoto challenge regulars if they would like to come over and introduce themselves. Today we meet Geoff Le Pard who blogs at Tangental.

Without those of you who write and read the pieces inspired by the weekly photos, the writephoto prompt would not exist. So, if you follow or take part in the weekly challenge, why come over and introduce yourself too?

Being a regular does not mean taking part every week… so why not drop me a line?

I’m not a shy retiring type (no, really) and yet I find these ‘introduce yourself’ thingies rather daunting. However, Sue is a legend in her own right so when the call comes, caps are doffed and to the keyboard we must go.

Before the urge to splurge upon the page took me in July 2006, I was bumbling along as a lawyer of necessity, a parent of infinite wonder and a husband of fortune. But then came my little Damascene moment in a classroom in Wiltshire and I decided to write a book.

That revelatory interlude led to a course on creative writing – and several others (what can I say, I was a lawyer, I like structure) leading to a Masters and a book that got me my degree.

By then I’d decided to publish it and that led to blogging as a vehicle for writing. Blogging led to other blogs, which led to flash fiction which led to Sue (and others) and, like a constantly evolving strand of DNA, I’ve accumulated a lot of letters, some words, the occasional sentence and a few stories along the route.

I’ve now published four novels, one memoir and two compilations of short fiction. I write some really dire poetry which usually seeks to rhyme and is often in sonnet form. I blog regularly and write daily. I’m an addict and I’m buggered if I’m joining Writer’s Anonymous – I’m loving this beautiful compulsion.

If you visit my blog, in addition to pieces of fiction and said poetry chippings, you will find my cheesy attempts at humour, a few reviews of films and plays, the occasional travelogue, stories of one Man (me) and Dog and some memoir pieces of my life to date. I have no issues to grind, no particular troubles to reveal or report or soap boxes on which to stand. If I rant, it’s probably because I’ve eaten too much cheese or too little cake in the preceding twenty-four hours.

Were you to want to know more about my published world, here is my Amazon author page

AMAZON UK

And were you to be interested in my poetry, here is a reworking of Philip Larkin’s famous and fabulous This Be The Verse (apologises for the unsubtle f-bomb: my only excuse is Larkin started it):

They fuck you up your mum and dad
So said that old contrarian
But Larkin’s error is just so sad
The poor deluded librarian.

It’s glib and cheap to blame your folks
For all the crap that life throws out;
To say ‘It’s not my fault’ is jokes
However much you scream and shout.

And if you feel that out you’ve lucked
With the only life you’ll ever live
Because, perchance, they’ve up you fucked
Isn’t it about time to them forgive?

 

Boring biographical stuff:

Geoff Le Pard

My name is Geoff Le Pard. I live in a leafy suburb of London with my splendid and ever forgiving spouse, Dog, two utterly selfish cats, a tortoise that frankly barely earns her keep and in close proximity to son and daughter plus their delightful other halves. I’m old enough to remember Kennedy’s assassination and young enough to think today was good so tomorrow will be even better. If we are going to some sort of hell in a diesel-powered plastic-bottle based tsunami, I for one intended to smile as I sink. If it ends tomorrow then, as the late great Douglas Adams had it ‘Goodbye, and thanks for all the fish… and chocolate, and cake and tea and friends and books and walks and museums and elastic waistbands and hats and curiosity and cricket and functioning kneecaps and… well you get the picture.

Find and follow Geoff

Blog   Amazon author page

 Twitter     Google+   LinkedIn     Facebook

My Father and Other Liars by [Le Pard, Geoff]My Father and Other Liars is a thriller set in the near future and takes its heroes, Maurice and Lori-Ann on a helter-skelter chase across continents.

Smashwords

Amazon.co.uk

Amazon.com

 

Dead Flies and Sherry TrifleDead Flies and Sherry Trifle is a coming of age story. Set in 1976 the hero Harry Spittle is home from university for the holidays. He has three goals: to keep away from his family, earn money and hopefully have sex. Inevitably his summer turns out to be very different to that anticipated.

Smashwords

Amazon.co.uk

Amazon.com

Life, in a Grain of SandLife in a Grain of Sand is a 30 story anthology that covers many genres: fantasy, romance, humour, thriller, espionage, conspiracy theories, MG and indeed something for everyone. All the stories were written during Nano 2015

Smashwords

Amazon.co.uk

Amazon.com

Salisbury SquareSalisbury Square is a dark thriller set in present day London where a homeless woman and a Polish man, escaping the police at home, form an unlikely alliance to save themselves.

Smashwords

Amazon.co.uk

Amazon.com

 

Buster & MooBuster & Moo is about about two couples and the dog whose ownership passes from one to the other. When the couples meet, via the dog, the previously hidden cracks in their relationships surface and events begin to spiral out of control. If the relationships are to survive there is room for only one hero but who will that be?

Smashwords

Amazon.co.uk

Amazon.com

Apprenticed to My Mother

When my father died in 2005, I assumed my mother would need more support and someone to help with decisions she previously shared with her husband. What I didn’t realise was the role she had in mind for me: a sort of Desmond 2.0. Over the five years until her death, I played the role of apprentice, learning more about her and her relationship with my father than I had gleaned in my previous 50 years. We laughed, we cried and, occasionally we disagreed, and throughout she manipulated me as, I learnt, she had my father. Neither of us minded much; we were both her so willing fools, for she was an extraordinary woman and we both knew we were in the presence of someone very special.

Smashwords   Amazon UK    Amazon.com

Geoff’s stories can also be found in these anthologies

Unknown's avatar

About Sue Vincent

Sue Vincent was a Yorkshire born writer, esoteric teacher and a Director of The Silent Eye. She was immersed in the Mysteries all her life. Sue maintained a popular blog and is co-author of The Mystical Hexagram with Dr G.M.Vasey. Sue lived in Buckinghamshire, having been stranded there due to an accident with a blindfold, a pin and a map. She had a lasting love-affair with the landscape of Albion, the hidden country of the heart. Sue  passed into spirit at the end of March 2021.
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62 Responses to #writephoto regulars ~ Meet Geoff Le Pard

  1. willowdot21's avatar willowdot21 says:
    October 22, 2018 at 17:11

    This man is a legend. He is also very modest and he is a founder member of the wonderful , splendid Annual Bloggers Bash 💜 Do visit him!

    Liked by 5 people

    Reply
  2. Jordy's avatar Jordan says:
    October 22, 2018 at 17:13

    Great to meet you Geoff! This is such a delightful introduction and full of humourful wisdom!
    Will enjoy catching up on your blog and writing.
    Jordis

    Liked by 4 people

    Reply
  3. Alethea Kehas's avatar Alethea Kehas says:
    October 22, 2018 at 17:17

    A pleasure to meet you, Geoff. So glad you decided to participate in Sue’s offering. 🙂

    Liked by 5 people

    Reply
  4. Ritu's avatar Ritu says:
    October 22, 2018 at 17:34

    And the Blogisphere wouldn’t be the same without you His Geoffleship!!!

    Liked by 5 people

    Reply
  5. Bobby Fairfield's avatar Bobby Fairfield says:
    October 22, 2018 at 17:56

    Not a very nice name for your spouse, though I suppose it must be love, on her part anyway.

    Liked by 4 people

    Reply
  6. Penny Wilson Writes's avatar Penny Wilson Writes says:
    October 22, 2018 at 17:57

    Nice to know you Geoff! 🙂

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply
  7. pensitivity101's avatar pensitivity101 says:
    October 22, 2018 at 17:58

    He’s terrific, isn’t he.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  8. Stevie Turner's avatar Stevie Turner says:
    October 22, 2018 at 18:15

    Ha ha, love the poem, Geoff!

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply
  9. TanGental's avatar TanGental says:
    October 22, 2018 at 18:35

    Sue, thank you for hosting this. You have a splendid and supportive crowd here. Good for you.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  10. Darlene's avatar Darlene says:
    October 22, 2018 at 18:56

    Only Geoff could make us laugh out loud while reading his bio. Even though he called his wife, Dog. Just don’t give my hubby any ideas.

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply
    • TanGental's avatar TanGental says:
      October 22, 2018 at 20:53

      I know… when I read Bobby’s comment I nearly died. I mean, can there be a bigger faux pas? Married for 34 years and I do that! Mind you I once told her she was third on the list… meaning it as a compliment – it didn’t fly, oddly – so I have history

      Liked by 3 people

      Reply
  11. globalchange145's avatar globalchange145 says:
    October 22, 2018 at 21:28

    Thank you for this excellent post!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  13. Jaye Marie & Anita Dawes's avatar jenanita01 says:
    October 23, 2018 at 08:12

    Such a sense of humour! I don’t normally smile before lunch, but today I did!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  14. Smorgasbord - Variety is the Spice of Life.'s avatar Smorgasbord - Variety is the Spice of Life. says:
    October 23, 2018 at 17:22

    As always entertaining.. Great to see Geoff here Sue.. hugsx

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  15. dgkaye's avatar dgkaye says:
    October 24, 2018 at 01:35

    Such an entertaining introduction to Geoff, especially if you don’t already know who he is. 🙂 Loved the poem – F bomb and all. ❤

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

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