Flares Up is a true story of adventure, tenacity and the capacity of the human spirit to triumph over adversity.Firefighter Paul Hopkins, 55, survives a brain haemorrhage. The experience motivates him to undertake the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge - to row 3,000 miles across the Atlantic. He teams up with entrepreneur Phil Pugh, who is aged 65but renowned for undertaking extreme physical challenges in honour of his disabled son. They encounter major financial and physical setbacks, which cause years of delays and put a strain on both their marriages. Finally, on 12 December 2019, in a fourth-hand 20ft wooden boat, they set off from the Canary Islands. Violent storms, 30ft waves and equipment failure leave both men seasick, dehydrated and sleep-deprived. Alone on the ocean, they are forced to examine their lives. Was the decision to undertake this challenge brave, selfish or foolish? After 70 days, nine hours and 11 minutes at sea, they cross the finish line, two changed men. Will either of their wives be there to greet them?

About the Author
Niamh McAnally is an Irish-born author now living in Florida. Many of her stories are inspired by her travels on land and at sea. Flares Up was conceived when she witnessed Paul Hopkins and Phil Pugh cross the finish line after rowing the Atlantic. Her short story 'Haul Out' is featured in the anthology A Page from My Life, and she has been published in various magazines.

Reviews
"McAnally's storytelling is so full and well rounded that the reader is always cheering for Paul and Phil and feels as though they are on the boat with them, and at the end wishes they were on that dock in Antigua. [She] spent over two years doing extensive research and it shows. Or rather it doesn't show because her writing flows effortlessly." * Carribean Compass Magazine *



Book Information
ISBN 9781801503983
Author Niamh McAnally
Format Paperback
Page Count 400
Imprint Pitch Publishing Ltd
Publisher Pitch Publishing Ltd
Weight(grams) 432g