JOIN
Jo May
ALLi Author Member
Location: United Kingdom (the)
Genres: Autobiography, Essays, Humour, Narrative Nonfiction, Travel Writing, Adventure, Contemporary Fiction, General Fiction, Mystery
Skills: Press/Media Interview
Jo lives in Lancashire with wife Jan. He began writing monthly articles for a canal magazine in 2007. Catastrophically (for the magazine!), following an ‘editorial misunderstanding’ they parted company. Jo began to chronicle their travels, which ultimately resulted in his first three ‘At Large’ books - beginning with A Narrowboat at Large. Jo describes the books as a huge warm memory bank on which he and Jan can draw during long winter evenings and in their rocking-chair years. Magical times.
After destroying the UK’s canal infrastructure on two narrowboats and rearranging a fair amount of continental waterways heritage on a rusty old Dutch Barge, their boating days came to an end in 2015, to everyone’s relief except theirs.
Jo’s new challenge is an e-bike. He has just written a second cycling book - Dick Van Bike - in which his bike is joined by a campervan. However, to mix metaphors, it’s not all been plain sailing. ‘Ordeals on Wheels’ sums it up quite nicely. A 6th At Large book, A Wider Rider at Large, is with the editor undergoing the red-pen-slash treatment.
He has also written three books called The Gods, Mortals and Mutts series, based in the Lancashire town where he lives, the first of which is called The Boro.
In addition, he has published three novels, including Operation Vegetable based on an an inland marina in the wilds of Shropshire. (it's partner, Operation Boomer, is in the final stages)
The other two are stand-alone novels called Twice Removed and Flawed Liaisons.
Jo May's books
A Narrowboat at Large
A Narrowboat at Large is the first of three best-selling boating books in Jo’s At Large series.
A Barge at Large
A Barge at Large is Book Two in the At Large series
A Barge at Large II
A Barge at Large II is the third book in the ‘At Large’ series.
A Bike at Large
A Bike at Large is the fourth book in Jo’s ‘At Large’ series.
A Bike at Large II
Remarkably, Jo has survived long enough to write a second cycling book. Dick Van Bike is the fifth book in Jo’s ‘At Large’ series where he returns with an upgraded e-bike. He’s also added a campervan to his stable of vehicles, primarily so he and wife Jan can adventure together.
Operation Vegetable
Deep in the English countryside live a group of unlikely characters on their narrowboats.
Flawed Liaisons
Harry Dunn is an ordinary man living an ordinary life until a series of events turns his world upside down. His life implodes and he is forced to run. He is on the ragged edge when a surprise inheritance offers him a lifeline. But it’s a poisoned chalice.
Twice Removed
Welcome to the beautiful north of England where we encounter a wacky assortment of characters in a town called Thistledean, a curious place that nestles in the foothills of the fells of Northumberland.
Omnibus
Omnibus is an engrossing ride through Jo’s wacky world. There are articles and stories on ski jumps, drumming, music and dogs; even Mary Poppins gets a mention. There’s a friend lost, then found, then slowly lost again as his mind begins to crumble – thank goodness we shared some laughs in days gone by. There’s even a set of Antlers and my favourite aeroplane, the S71 Blackbird at the Imperial War Museum, Duxford, England. And then there’s the odd ride on a bus!
The Boro
When he first returned home, Jo was haunted by the spectre of how good things used to be – for a while anyway.
Let's be Frank
Let’s be Frank is a dog’s eye view of the world.
Gods, Mortals and Mutts
‘Well, that went well,’ said The Creator, as he and his assistant watched rocks fly in all directions.