-- Purchasing Information

	Paperback	Hardback
Publication Date:	26 July 2005
ISBN: ISBN 13:	1-904444-43-1 978-1-904444-43-5
Page Extent:	366
Book Size:	210x148mm
Price:	£8.99
P & P (UK):
P & P (Europe):
P & P (World):
UK:
Purchase from Amazon:
Purchase from Waterstone's (or check stock at a branch near you):
Purchase from Play.com:
Purchase from WH Smith:
Purchase from ASDA:
Purchase from Tesco:
USA:
Price (USD):	$16.95
Purchase from Amazon:
Purchase from Borders:
Purchase from Barnes & Noble:
Purchase from Powell's Books:

Downloads:
Publication Date:	26 July 2005
Digital eBook ISBN 13:	978-1908548-90-0
Digital pdf ISBN 13:	978-1-908382-33-7
eBook Price (UK):	£4.99
eBook Price (USA):	$7.96
	Based on Amazon's Kindle Store
Kindle UK:
Kindle USA:

-- Reviews by the Famous and well Known

I thought that it was a good book I really enjoyed reading it - what's next?
Shirley Robertson OBE (Two Times Olympic Gold Medalist in Sailing: 2000 and 2004 Games)

~

A very funny and poignant look at teenage life. Suits all ages as testified by a 14 year-old relative of mine, her quote: 'Troy's just like the boys at school!'. Well done Adam.
Robert Auty, Author of 'Trance Warriors: The Siege of Scarn'

~

I found it a new, unusual and interesting way of viewing the world. Very good.
(Picture: Author, Adam Pearson with Southampton star David Prutton, holding up the cover of the book)
David Prutton, Southampton Football Club

~

I really enjoyed the book.
Alan Titchmarsh, Broadcaster/Writer

~

-- Newspaper and Website Reviews

THE DIARY OF AN UNWILLING VIRGIN
Pick Me Up Magazine

~

THE DIARY OF AN UNWILLING VIRGIN
World Soccer: The essential football magazine

~

ADAM’S ANGST AND ACNE TALE OF TEENAGE LIFE
Sue Lupton meets a new Cowes author –
When Adam Pearson, 39, came across the secret diaries he had written as a teenager, he found himself chuckling at his angst-ridden, adolescent scribblings. They inspired him to start a novel in diary form, relating a year in the life of Troy Brown, a football-mad 15-year-old living in Cowes.
From January 2003, Adam sat at his computer at home in Cowes every night. He wrote in intimate detail about each day in Troy’s life: Outbreaks of spots, crushes on girls, adventures with schoolfriends and the fortunes of Southampton Football Club.
By February 2004, he had completed the diary and he spent a further six months fine-tuning the story. He then decided to spend some of his savings on having it published by Apex, a subsidised publishing company that he found on the internet.
The Diary of an Unwilling Virgin will be published on August 1 and Adam believes that it will be popular with teenagers and adults. “I have written it for children – some of the material is quite adult. I think the story will appeal to older teenagers and people like me, who remember what it was like to be a teenager.
“There are lots of references to football, so I think other fans will find it interesting, particularly Saints fans. I’m not too sure Pompey fans will like it very much though.
“A friend who read the manuscript described it as Adrian Mole meets Fever Pitch. Yes, it is a bit like the Diary of Adrian Mole, except Adrian Mole was a geek who hated football and Troy is a normal teenager who is interested in girls and football. Nick Hornby’s character was a massive Arsenal fan and this affected his relationship with his girlfriend.
“There is a lot of comedy in my story too. Some of it is toilet humour, which is inevitable since the characters are teenagers. There is also situational comedy, where the naivete of Troy and his friends gets them into trouble.
“There are sad bits too, involving family secrets, which upset and confuse Troy. He is on an emotional rollercoaster throughout the year.”
Like Troy, Adam grew up in Cowes, apart from four years when he lived in Cardiff. In the book, Troy lives with his parents, but Adam was raised by his grandparents from the age of five, after his parents divorced.
“My granddad and my uncle are big football fans and got me interested when I was at primary school,” said Adam. “I used to support Manchester United, which is a bit of an embarrassment to me now. I gradually switched to supporting Southampton and have been a season-ticket holder for the last eight years.”
Adam kept a diary intermittently between the ages of nine and 23. “I only stopped when my girlfriend started reading my diary,” he said. “Knowing someone else was going to read it, it was pointless carrying on. For a diary to be worthwhile, it has to be secret.”
Adam lives in Albert Street, Cowes, with his wife, Debbie, a hairdresser, and their daughter, Alicia, 8. He works as a repro operative for a pre-print packaging company near Portsmouth.
“I did very badly at English at school – I failed my English GCSE. But secretly I have always wanted to write a book and in fact I did write a novel when I was about 20 but my father lost the manuscript. I also wrote some stories for my daughter when she was younger.
“I have never been a great reader but the Harry Potter books got me reading. They also inspired me to start writing. I realised I had to create an imaginary world and throw some characters into it and see what happened. That is basically how I started Unwilling Virgin.
“There were points when I struggled but mostly I enjoyed writing the book.
“I enjoyed developing Troy’s character. At the beginning, he is very self-centred and naïve in his decision-making. As the year goes on, he matures, becoming more responsible, open minded and sensitive to others. He starts as an only child, but during the year he discovers he has a long-lost brother and his mother has a baby.
“My own diaries helped me to remember how I felt at the time. My friends might recognise some of the funny things that happen to Troy.”
Adam is now writing a sequel, in which Troy leaves home and Southampton is relegated from the premiership. “I feel a lot more confident with my writing now,” said Adam. “I hope by getting the first book into print, I might find a mainstream publisher for the second.”
Adam will be signing copies of his book in Ottakars in Newport on Tuesday, August 2, from 6.30pm. The book is also available on the Amazon website and from IW Tourism visitor centres.
Sue Lupton, Isle of Wight County Press

~

UNLIKE ADRIAN MOLE, TROY LOVES FOOTBALL
THE Diary of an Unwilling Virgin chronicles the trials and tribulations of 15-year-old Saints fan Troy Brown during 2003, as he comes terms with hormones, life and football.
Set against the backdrop of Cowes during Saints’ most successful season for years, Troy’s diary shows us the world as seen by a frustrated angst-ridden teenager.
“I was inspired by my own teenage diaries, but didn’t base Troy on them,” said author Adam Pearson.
“We all remember what it was like to be 15, even if we’re unfortunately no longer anywhere near it.
“Many small things seem like the end of the world at that age, so – although we might find them funny – Troy finds them really serious.”
Adam wasn’t worried about the obvious comparisons his book would get to the hugely successful diaries of Adrian Mole.
“Adrian Mole wasn’t a normal teenager, he was a geek who didn’t like football, and I wanted to write about a teenager like the ones you see every day.
“Books like this document the time in which they were written, so the Adrian Mole books document an entirely different era.
“Also, those books were written by a woman, so I think it’s nice to see a man writing about being a teenage lad.”
Pearson wanted to readdress the geographic balance too.
“No one ever thinks Cowes apart from during Cowes week, and people seem to think of northerners being the most passionate about their football clubs.
“I wanted Saints to be the focus of attention for a change, and for people to see that Cowes exists for more than a week!”
Adam lives in Cowes and is a passionate Saints fan, so found it made sense for Troy to share the same interests, even though he was worried that it might alienate some people.
“I spoke to a Pompey fan who read the book and he loved it, and plenty of women who can’t stand football really enjoyed it.
“Although football is a big part of Troy’s life, there’s far more to him than that, so as an individual, it’s easy to relate to him.”
The Diary of an Unwilling Virgin, published by Apex Publishing Ltd, is out now priced £8.99 and is available from Waterstone’s in West Quay.
The Daily Echo

~

THE DIARY OF AN UNWILLING VIRGIN (ADAM PEARSON, APEX PUBLISHING, £8.99)
Football-mad Troy Brown is a Southampton fan who lives on the Isle of Wight. This "warts-and-all" look into his 2003 diary as he goes through teenage angst is sadder with The Saints' rock bottom Premiership finish. Midfielder David Prutton has ploughed through it and reckons it is a good read!
Shoot Magazine

~

THE DIARY OF AN UNWILLING VIRGIN
The London Voice

~

THE DIARY OF AN UNWILLING VIRGIN
The Self Publishing Magazine

~

THE DIARY OF AN UNWILLING VIRGIN
Shoot Magazine

~

THE DIARY OF AN UNWILLING VIRGIN
David Powter, Winger Magazine

~

THE DIARY OF AN UNWILLING VIRGIN
SAINTS - Southampton Football Club Official Matchday Programme

~

A schoolboy diary filled with practical advice for the angst-ridden teenager. Want to know how to photocopy your posterior and what to do with the resulting image? Want to know how to engage in a bit of impromptu street-begging? Read this book and enjoy a trip down Memory Lane; just remember that it’s a lane filled with acne spots, dirty laundry and stinky trainers…
Mike Hallowell, The Shields Gazette

~

THE DIARY OF AN UNWILLING VIRGIN
The Self Publishing Magazine

~

-- Radio and TV

Adam Pearson was interviewed on 'Win FM 107.2 Radio Station' on 'The Ben Shoveller Show'. They also ran a competition where they gave 2 copies of the book away.
Win 107.2 FM Radio

BBC Radio Solent talked about the book on their show. They also ran a competition where they gave a copy of the book away.
BBC Radio Solent

I'm not sure which is worse, being an unwilling 15-year-old virgin or a life-long Saints supporter. Having been the former and still being the latter the only thing I am qualified to say is that hormones do settle down whereas footballing affiliation never goes away. I suffered pretty much everything described here except being called Troy!
Tim Manns, 'The Saint, 107.8 FM' Radio Station (Director)

I’m so glad I’m not a teenager anymore! Brilliant story. Hilarious, sad and enthralling.
Ben Shoveller, The Quay 107.2 FM (Presenter)

Adam Pearson was interviewed on 'The Saint 107.8 FM Radio Station' on 'The Danielle Perry Show'. They also ran a competition where they gave 5 copies of the book away, these were provided by Apex Publishing Ltd. (Picture: Author Adam Pearson with Danielle Perry).
The Saint 107.8 FM Radio

-- Readers Comments

I thought that the book was really good, I liked the way it was written as a diary, making it easier to go back and read at anytime. It was also easy to relate to being a teenager myself knowing what its like and how much pressure you can be put under into doing things by your friends. There wasn’t really a particular part of the book I liked the most as I thought it was all really good. Once I started reading it I couldn’t put it down. All the characters in the book were really life like and most of them seemed like the typical teenagers you would meet. I am looking forward to reading the next one!
Dannielle Traves
~

It was brilliant! I couldn't put it own until I had finished it and my husband was the same. I hope there is going to be another one.
Bev Furby
~

It was very good. I enjoyed it. It was not quite as I thought it was going to be - just about football. There were family bits in that made it more realistic and the story of the mum was good. There were twists and turns that you didn’t expect and in the way it was written, like at the beginning, it was easy reading with likeable characters.
Sarah Robertson
~

COME, IF YOU WILL, AND SPEND A YEAR IN THE COMPANY OF TROY BROWN, ET AL, ON THE ISLE OF WIGHT IN 2003 AS TOLD BY THE AUTHOR ADAM PEARSON.
15/16 YEAR OLD TROY BROWN DECIDES TO MAKE USE OF HIS NAN’S ‘NAFF’ XMAS PRESENT OF A DIARY: HE HAS NO IDEA OF WHAT WILL UNFOLD AS HE STARTS TO PEN HIS THOUGHTS AND FEEINGS OF EVENTS THAT TAKE PLACE ON THE ISLAND. IT GRADUALLY BECOMES 12 MONTHS OF ANGUISH, BOREDOM, REJECTION, JOY AND PAIN – ALL SKILFULLY PORTRAYED BY THE AUTHOR.
USING AN EASY-TO-READ DIARY FORMAT, TROY’S DAYS COME AND GO WITH EACH TURN OF THE PAGE. THERE IS JUST ENOUGH FLESH ON THE BONES OF THE CHARACTERS AND STORYLINES TO PUT YOU AMONGST HIS FRIENDS AND FAMILY.
A COUPLE OF UNEXPECTED TWISTS AND TURNS ALONG THE WAY ADD TO MAKE THIS A VERY ENJOYABLE READ. I FOUND MYSELF NEEDING TO KNOW WHAT WOULD HAPPEN NEXT AS SOME OF THE EVENTS GATHER PACE WITH AN UNEXPECTED FEROCITY. EQUALLY, WHEN TROY’S DAYS ARE BORING AND UNCERTAIN , ADAM’S WRITNG IS FAR FROM IT.
PART OF THIS BOOK’S PLEASURE IS IN BEING ABLE TO READ AS LITTLE OR AS MUCH AS YOU WISH AT ANY ONE TIME.
YOU DON’T EVEN HAVE TO LIKE FOOTBALL, FAMILIES, OR TEENAGERS TO GET SATISFACTION FROM THIS BOOK!
GO ON....TAKE A PEEK INTO TROY’S DIARY.....BUT REMEMBER TO PUT IT BACK EXACTLY HOW YOU FOUND IT......
Kevin Fiford
~

A well written novel. I feel I have been able to lose myself within this story and become part of Troy Brown's life, which shows many highs and lows of a teenager growing up in today's society. All in all an entertaining and enjoyable story.
Garry Smith
~

I thoroughly enjoyed the book and wish you every success.
A reader from England
~

I enjoyed the fact that I was able to relate to the locality of the story, being an island resident, like Troy. As I read the diary I found out that his misconceptions were the same as mine and when the truth of some of his theories was revealed, it was very surprising. I also enjoyed it when he went to Cardiff. I didn’t expect to enjoy this book as much as I did. When’s the next one out?
Amy Holliday
~

I loved the book, it made me laugh out loud.
Jade Jessica Burton
~

I thought it was brilliant! One of the best books I have read - SO funny!
Laura Wiseman
~

-- Book Signings and Events

Adam Pearson signed copies of 'The Diary of an Unwilling Virgin' at Waterstone's, Southampton.
Waterstone's, Southampton

~

Adam Pearson being interviewed about his book at Southampton Football Club.
Southampton Football Club

~

Adam Pearson, signing copies of his book at the RNLI Charity Book Launch, Island Sailing Club, Cowes, Isle of Wight.
Island Sailing Club, Cowes, Isle of Wight

~

Adam Pearson, signing copies of his book at Ottakars Bookshop, Newport, Isle of Wight.
Ottakars, Newport, Isle of Wight

~

'The Diary of an Unwilling Virgin' on sale at Newport Tourist Information Centre, Isle of Wight.
Newport Tourist Information Centre, Isle of Wight

~

Signed copies of 'The Diary of an Unwilling Virgin' at Ottakars, Newport, Isle of Wight.
Ottakars, Newport, Isle of Wight

~

-- Libraries that stock this book
West End Library, Southampton
~

Woolston Library, Southampton
~

Cobbett Road Library, Southampton
~

Bitterne Library, Southampton
~

West End library, Southampton
~

Lockswood Library, Southampton
~

Hythe Library, Southampton
~

Southampton Central Library, Southampton
~

Portswood Library, Southampton
~

The National Library of Scotland, Edinburgh
~

The University Library, Cambridge
~

The Bodleian Library, Oxford
~

Reference Library, Newport
~

Eastleigh Library, Southampton
~

The National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth
~

The Library of Trinity College, Dublin
~

Cowes Library, Isle of Wight
~

East Cowes Library, Isle of Wight
~

Newport Library, Isle of Wight
~

The British Library, Boston Spa
~