The Astonishing Anniversaries of James and David: Part One

By M J Dees

James and David are twins, they share the same genes, they are both growing up in the same environment in East Yorkshire.  But they are not the same. One seems destined to be satisfied with life, the other perpetually unhappy. One seems you be fate's victim while the other seems unable to set a foot wrong. But will either of them find what they are looking for or will fate have the last laugh? Willy Russel wrote Blood Brothers to show how an environment can have a profound effect on the development of twins. The Astonishing Anniversaries of James and David shows that only the slightest of differences in genetically identical individuals can have a profound influence on the outcomes of their lives.The Astonishing Anniversaries of James and David follows the lives of twins from their birth in 1971 by visiting them once a year on the anniversary of their birth. One travels the world in his constant search for that elusive prize of happiness while the other finds himself a magnet for trouble. Will either of them reach their goals intact?"Once I started, I had a hard time stopping"" I enjoyed the story very much, and I kept wondering what was coming next""This would turn into a pretty good movie.""I love how the storytelling focuses on a view of their lives through the one day - their birthday"

• Language: English
• Publisher: M J Dees
• Release date: Apr 19, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393391173

M J Dees

M J Dees has published eleven novels and ranging from humour to dystopia to political to historical to space opera. He makes his online home at mjdees.com. You can connect with him on Twitter at @mjdeeswriter, on Facebook at mjdeeswriter and you should send him an email at [e-mail] if the mood strikes you.

Book preview

The Astonishing Anniversaries of James and David, Part One

How do you know if you have achieved success? No matter how successful he becomes James doesn't feel happy. Meanwhile, his twin brother, David, seems content regardless of the dreadful, life threatening events which afflict him year after year.  The Astonishing Anniversaries of James and David is as much a nostalgic romp through 70s, 80s and 90s England as it is a shocking and occasionally tragic comedy.  

1971

It is a sunny day in Hull, but this is doing very little to lift the spirits of Ronald.  He is miffed at missing the first home game of the season between Hull City and Oxford United because his wife, Joyce, has chosen this exact moment to go into labour and he is required to look after their first born, Lisa.  He waits near the telephone to find out whether the sodding thing is a boy or a girl.

Joyce couldn’t have waited until Sunday before her waters broke, or even have the decency to deliver during the depressing opening away loss to Charlton.  Bob and Bill were both going, and Ronald had detected amusement in Bob's voice when he’d phoned him to explain as soon as the ambulance had left that morning.

Oh that’s a tragedy mate, Bob had said on hearing the news. "Never mind.

Good luck to your dear wife, pass on our regards. We’ll let you know how we get on."

Cheers, Ronald mumbled, not at all impressed by the lack of disappointment in Bob’s voice.

The thing was that Bob had never forgiven Ronald for pushing Bob out of the back of a truck when the two were on National Service in Germany in 1956. Bob had landed on his knee thus putting to an abrupt end his promising career in Rugby League. At least