Author denies claims Lennon Biography is 'fiction'

Jude Southerland Kessler

A Beatles author who wrote the life story of John Lennon in the form of a novel has spoken-out to defend her work against critics who dismissed it as "fiction".

In 1986 Jude Southerland Kessler decided to write a Beatles' biography in the form of a documented, historical novel and has dedicated herself to the task for more than two decades.

Her first work was the biographical novel on the life of John Lennon "Shoulda Been There" which was greeted with scorn from some critics who claimed much of the content was 'invented'.

Now Kessler has spoken-out to defend her work, and to set the record straight about the years of extensive research that she put into a series of nine volumes.

Before penning the first novel the author says she collected more than 300 books on Lennon, along with hundred of interviews in newspapers, magazines and radio tapes, plus copies of letters and journals.

Kessler reveals that between 1993 and 2000 she made seven trips to Liverpool to interview family, friends and associates of The Beatles.

These included meetings with: Helen Andersen, June Furlong, Bill Harry, Rod Murray, Colin Fallows, George Jardine, Dave Bennion, Sam Leach, Allan Williams, Beryl Adams, Joe and Sam Flannery, Bob Wooler, Billy May, Louise Harrison, Ruth McCartney, Roag Best, and Charlie Lennon. Other interviews have included: Eddie Porter, Bryan Biggs, Nicky Cuff, Billy J. Kramer, Dick Clark, John Trusty, Porter Thrower, Larry Kane, Sam Leach, Len Garry, Richard Langham and countless others.

She also points-out that Sir George Martin had a hand in supplying details for her latest work "Shivering Inside" which is to be published later this year.

Kessler said: “I wrote to Giles Martin in late 2009 with a question about the 6 June 1962 audition/recording session at Abbey Road.

“Giles immediately relayed that to his father and sent the answer on to me.”

Kessler also reveals that in the writing process, she routinely sent her completed chapters to the people about whom they were written for correction, clarification, and further documentation.

She explains: “Many of my ‘characters’ took their chapters and made miniscule but very important corrections.

"June Furlong, for example, made sure that I had her hair in a French twist with a wisp of hair falling down on the left side.

"Bill Harry had me move him into the front room of Ye Cracke and put him under the painting of Lord Nelson.

"He also had me switch his drink of choice from ale to bitter. My quest for accurate details was a huge undertaking.”

In 2005, Kessler began creating and editing a Scouse Glossary to be included in the back of "Shoulda Been There".

She added: “I had to tackle one aspect of John’s life with that ordinary biographers don’t have to face.

"I had to learn the intricacies of Scouse verbiage. John had to speak authentically, as did Paul, Pete, George, Ringo, and all the members of Merseyside bands.

"I had to learn which expressions were proper for someone from The Dingle or Toxteth (as in Ringo’s case) and which terms were used by people from Speke (like George).

"I spent countless hours watching tapes of Pete and The Beatles in order to pick-up their gestures, expressions, and mannerisms. I watched Pete in live interviews to learn more about him.

"My work was painstaking, detailed, and scholarly. No stone in the investigative process was left unturned."

She adds that in "Shoulda Been There", many of the private conversations were the result of educated conjecture but says that "Shivering Inside", will contain conversations that are fully documented.

She says: "After 1961, so much of what The Beatles did and said was captured for posterity, and I’m using that information to paint a very authentic portrait of the group.

"One chapter (11 Feb. 1963) has over 100 footnotes, thanks to the use of actual, spoken and recorded words."

Shoulda Been There was released in November 2008 and covers Lennon’s life from his birth in 1940 through to signing with Brian Epstein on 11th Dec 1961.

Shivering Inside is due to be released on 9th October 2010 and will cover Lennon’s life from December 1961 until his son Julian’s birth in April 1963.

Jude Southerland Kessler received her master's degree in English from the University of Maryland and taught at Troy State University in Alabama.

For more information on Jude Southerland Kessler and her books visit: www.OnTheRockBooks.com.

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