Patrick Shanahan

I started to write seriously a few years ago. Seriously may not be an entirely appropriate description since my style is 'serious humour.' That is, amusing situations wrapped up in a semi-serious plot. It is my view that there are already plenty of heavy, momentous works out there to challenge the intellect and perhaps, just occasionally, the reader might like something fun and light-hearted. Humour is personal. What entertains one person will not be another's cup of tea. The Pursuit Series of books does not intend to do anything other than entertain those who see fun in observing the quirkiness of life and the ridiculous in certain situations. The humour swerves between observational slapstick and a more subtle dryness. My aim is simply to entertain, and the writing style is light and easy on the consciousness. But it doesn't mean the story can't have some complexities. Humour gives you licence to go where you choose. I quite like that freedom. Cupid's Pursuit is such a book - light and fun. However, beneath the comic adventures of the central character, Matthew Malarkey, lies a social comment on the internet dating phenomenon that will appeal to both male and female readers alike. An updated 2nd edition of this book (same story) was released in March 2019 to make a few improvements on the original version. The follow up novel, Vegas Pursuit, takes Matthew on an adventure to celebrate a big birthday where once more fate conspires to make life anything but straightforward. That book has also been updated to a 2nd edition. The third book in the series, Diamond Pursuit, finds Matthew and friends on the island of Ibiza where Matthew becomes entangled in a diamond smuggling operation. The series continued with the release of a fourth book in 2020, Spanish Pursuit. The story takes Matthew to Spain and the beautiful city of Madrid (amongst other locations) where things don't go quite according to plan. A fifth Pursuit book, as yet untitled, is currently in the research phase. Most of the comic situations that appear in these books are based on real events. Yes, even the most outlandish ones but with the added flavour of poetic licence. Note the reference to 'situations' as opposed to 'plots' - if the plots themselves were based on my reality, I would have been arrested by now! However, occasionally, real world events do give inspiration for the plots. My characters are a mix of the most extreme sides of a number of people I have encountered in life and a healthy shovelful of imagination. I hope you enjoy them all. You can view more details on www.pursuitseries.com. If you want to read some general ramblings and one-off pieces, then try my Alternative Tales at http://cupidspursuit.blogspot.co.uk. And if you have any questions, would like to make a comment or would simply like to discuss my books, you can contact me directly on author@pursuitseries.com. I welcome your feedback. Patrick