HarryAVFC: The vast majority of those who cast stones in my direction never served with me or knew me. You'll find, if you surf the onceamarinealwaysamarine site that those who did serve with me, support me and my story.
Otherwise: The Usual Drab: Stone casting blah blah blah!!
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Anyway. Just to give them something to bite on, here's some of the PM comments I've received on this site.
1) Well I bought your book and I think it is brilliant. I enjoyed your story and could not put it down (I read it in 8 hours flat!)
What a life you have had and some terrible luck!!
I dont really know what else to say except I thought it was brilliant and thanks for writing it!
Any plans to write anymore books? I think your way of writing is much better and you can make it more personal and get accross your feelings alo better than most authors
2) Just wanted to say i bought Always A Marine on Friday and have just finished it today. I thought it was brilliant, a fantastically honest account. I will recomend both Amongst The Marines and Always A Marine to all my family and friends.
I totally enjoyed every second i spent reading both books.
Congratulations
3) Thanks for your comments. I found 'Always a Marine' to be a really good book. I would read it on the train on the way to work and then not want to get off when it came to my stop!
It's fairly evident from your book that you've moved on with your life and I would like to say congratulations for doing so. I'm sure it can't have been easy.
I also did really enjoy 'Amongst the Marines' and found parts of it to be absolutely hilarious. I suppose with some of my criticism of it I got caught up with the bandwagon. Sorry.
The reason for me wanting to join the Marines is down to a lot of the things that you missed when you left - mates you can really rely on, good social life, a sense of identity and achievement. As well as the old cliches about challenge and 'wanting to join the best'. I sit at work all day thinking about joining and can't see myself doing a civvy job for life. Hopefully by January I'll be ready.
Anyway, I've waffled on long enough. Thanks for writing both books Steve and best of luck for the future.
4) Mr. Preece, have just finished reading your First book "Amonst the Marines" (took me no time at all as I couldnt put it down) and I absolutely loved it. I do read quite alot and that was definitely up there with one of the best books I've read.... I think it touched every emotion, at times it made me feel like being sick, at other times it made me smile and laugh out loud and there were even moments when it brought tears to my eyes.
Many thanks for writing it.
5)hi, im 16 and a new user. did you write 'amongst the marines', if you did fab book and reading that book made me want to go into the RM and thats why i just wanna say thanks for helping me to decied what military brotherhood to join and that i look up to you
I've just finished reading "Amongst the Mariens" and i jus twanted to drop you a line sayin ghow much i enjoyed it. You have an excellent writing style and no holds barred approach. Wel ldone. There were many moments i felt physically sick and many more where i laughed so hard i dropped the books and had to hold my ribs.
Overall i found it useful, any fear i had about joining the corps has been alieviatedas
6) I,ve read with interest alot of the responce that has come about after both your first book and now your second. I have read the first but not the second.
There seems to have been a fair amount of critisism and abuse angled at you and though im sure you can appreciate the reasons why in some cases (right or wrong) i personally can only see from your writings the story of a man who is in my opinion very brave to talk about his life in such a blunt and honest way.
Anyhow the debate was long and hard and that is not the reason i am emailing you, my reason is to add a positive that will have come from the book to me personally that having read the following may interest you:
Your Comments:
"I'm still unsure if I want to finish this. We'll see. Steven Preece has gone now. That was the real goal for me by writing my books. I hope others can learn from my mistakes."
I hope to re-join the corps soon(having opted out of training at week 9, some time ago), and having now read your books i am much more aware of the problems with aggression that may arise from serving with the RM. I hope you dont mind me saying, but your book to me has sent a clear message of how NOT to deal with such things, and therefore your hope that others can learn from your mistakes i am sure will ring true. During my short time in training and subsequent time spent in the RMR, it is obvious to me how pressures build up, and your book has made me all the more aware of the importance of how to appropriatley let go steam. In the future when the chips are down (as i know they will be at times during training and after) i will certainly pause a second longer to think about how i,m dealing with it.
Anyway i thought you may appreciate a postive comment amid some of the negatives,
POSTING
Guys: Hope you don't mind me posting these. I've removed any references to people's names and feel it relevant to share them with others.
There you go HARRY. Dip your bread in and drag your fishing rod over for a bite!!!!
All the best
Steve
ps. HARRYAVFC: Thanks for the pointer on the comments Spike wrote. I was a little surprised when I saw them, but pleased to know he's on his feet.
