The Story
For now, this is the story of my transition from a software salesman to a writer of narrative nonfiction.
My book tells the story of a controversial and catastrophic event early in Winston Churchill’s first term as Britain’s Prime Minister.
My journey includes this visit to Chartwell, Churchill’s home in the Kent countryside, and this conversation with the most recent descendant of Sir Winston’s marmalade cat “Jock.”
Churchill Archives
Even my chair seems braced for action in the reading room at the Churchill Archives at the University of Cambridge.
That’s my laptop, my yellow notepad, and the first ribbon-bound folder of documents presented by an archivist as I’m about to get to work in the papers of Winston Churchill and dozens of his contemporaries - while a bust of Sir Winston looks over my shoulder.
Research
In return for a £1 daily courtesy fee, researchers at the Churchill Archives may take pictures of just about any documents of interest.
I captured over 700 images during my time at Cambridge. In addition to papers from Winston Churchill, General Sir Edward Louis Spears, Admiral James Somerville, and dozens of others, I also worked with the original handwritten diary of John Colville (Churchill’s private secretary), and stumbled upon a postcard to Sir Winston from George Bernard Shaw.
It was a sublime and enriching experience.
Writing
You mention a book … and you seem to have gathered all this research.
Can you actually write?
Fair question. This will be my first book. Of course I’d like you to believe I can write, so here, for now, is a sampling of shorter pieces I hope you will click your way through.
Disclaimer: I fudged the dates on these posts from my past so I could display them in a specific sequence on this page. (Am I overthinking this just a bit? Oh yeah). The original publication date appears at the end of each article.
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Bill Whiteside: Background & Newsletter
Chartwell gardens
I built this site to serve as a biography of my book more so than a biography of me. Still, in case we haven’t met …
I grew up in the Philadelphia suburbs, the oldest of 6 kids, and graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a degree in Management. My wife Barbara and I have lived in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania for more than 30 years, and have been blessed with a son (Billy) and a daughter (Brittany).
After selling software for 35 years, I abandoned that career to finish writing a book that I started researching to keep my mind engaged during my time on the road. I was intrigued by an incident from early in Winston Churchill’s first term as Britain’s prime minister, and as I dug into the story from multiple angles, my diversion evolved into an obsession. The more I learned, the more it became a book I just had to write.
Considering my non-pedigreed background as a software salesman, this entire research and writing process has been quite an education in itself.
On the first Monday of each month I email a free newsletter in which I share stories about my adventures in researching, writing, marketing, and publishing my book. I would love to send it to you if you would be so kind as to complete the form below. If you’re inclined to go rogue, you can email me directly at bill.whiteside@perfectlytruestory.com.
You can find past newsletters on my Newsletter Archive page.
Thanks,
Bill Whiteside