Earlier this year, at what was then Unbound Publishing and has become Mooney and Lambert, we picked up a couple of books through a partnership with Agent Fox Media. One of them was My Dad was the King of Clubs by Scott Stringfellow.
As I stated in my last review of Gayle Hiller’s book, No More Kisses for Me, I can’t review books we publish formally, as it would be unethical. However, I can offer you some insight into what publishers are looking for, what we see when we look at your book, and why we choose the books we do.
I’ll be doing this for each of our titles as we move forward, some before they are even published. This particular book was an early favorite simply because of who Peter Stringfellow was. Many saw the public side of things, but he was much more: a loving and devoted father who supported his son through his various different endeavors.
But let’s look at the various factors that contribute to why we chose this book, and why I like it myself.
The Agent’s Belief and Selling Books
Let’s be honest and transparent because often agents and publishers are not. The reason we pick up and publish books and the reason an agent brings them to us in the first place is that we think the book will sell. None of us will make a dime until books reach a breakeven point where we have paid editors, paid for covers and formatting, and gotten the book into distribution channels where it can be found.
In this case, this book was a no brainer. There is a built-in audience for anything about Peter Stringfellow, London and International Nightclub owner who not only hosted incredible acts in his clubs in London, New York, and Los Angeles, but who also changed the nightclub scene in London for good.
But this isn’t a story about Peter Stringfellow’s public life. It’s a new view of his life beyond the tabloids and newspapers, from the eyes of his son. It’s a personal look at the life of someone though often controversial and in the newspapers, was also a father and an inspiration to his son.
The Author
As is often the case, Scott found a place to heal through writing. After his father’s passing, he started to write his story, the story of a father and his son. There are touching moments, funny moments, and moments we can all identify with.
Scott Stringfellow found support in his father, who validated the things he wanted to do and helped him toward achieving his goals when he could. Scott grew up and found his own passion for motor racing in large part due to his father’s enthusiasm and support of his son’s career choices.
Scott tells a compelling tale of family through humorous and touching tales that will show you another side of the man we knew as “The King of Clubs.” He also shares his own rise to a career in motorsports that’s spanned over three decades now.
The Subject Matter
This is not a tell-all, the secrets of the Stringfellows book. It’s about family, relationships, and the humanity of those we often see as stars. It’s easy to dehumanize them as some sort of “other” class who never has issues, never suffers, and lives “the good life.” But we see a Peter Stringfellow who worked hard for what he had, fought the status quo, and made something unique of his life.
It is that uniqueness that enabled his son Scott to grow into his own unique life, one where he pursued his dreams, discovered his own passions, and was able to care for his father when he needed it.
The Bottom Line
If you’ve lost a parent, if you are a child with parents who are close to you and aging, or if you just want to read a feel-good story about family, love, loss, grief, and recovery then this book is for you.
You’ll read about well-known celebrities, clubs you may have even visited yourself, and will see a different side of the London night scene. Woven through it is the beautiful friendship created between a father and his son, and how one celebrity managed to balance the nightlife and family life at the same time.
If I could review this book on Amazon or elsewhere, I’d give it five out of five stars. It’s why I published it, and why you should read it. Check out the links to the book below, and give it a shot.
Find My Dad Was the King of Clubs on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08L81FCPM
Or directly from the publisher here: https://mooneyandlambert.com/my-dad-was-the-king-of-clubs/
Bulk orders and review copies are available by contacting the publisher at [email protected]
