Year: 2026

A PRESS RELEASE FROM AUTHOR MARTIN ORKIN:

Hi everyone,

It’s here! I am delighted to announce that my latest book, The Beatles’ Hit Singles, Part 2 is finally finished and available to buy!! It’s a veritable feast of fun and fascination!!

As a big thank you to everyone who has shown interest or bought from me before, I am doing a Special Introductory Price offer to mailing list subscribers of just £9.99 plus P&P up to 30th September 2026. To buy a copy of The Beatles’ Hit Singles, Part 2 with this special price offer, simply click on this link which will take you to my website: Buy Now! 

Here are images of  the front and rear covers of both Part 1 & Part 2 for a flavour of my latest books. 

PART 2: THE NEW BOOK

PART 1:THE FIRST VOLUME

This is Part 1 of Martin’s wonderful book series:

IMPORTANT DETAILS:

My latest book, The Beatles’ Hit Singles, Part 2 is subtitled ‘Magical Mystery Tour’ and covers their studio-based years from 1966 to 1970. Just like Part 1, it is a glossy hardback book, with 400 sewn-in pages (not glued) so that no pages should ever fall out. Again like Part 1, this book does indeed look and feel lovely!

The Beatles’ Hit Singles, Part 2 discusses in detail every single that The Beatles released from ‘Nowhere Man’ (in the US), and then ‘Paperback Writer’, via landmark singles like ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’/’Penny Lane’, ‘Hello, Goodbye’ and ‘Hey Jude’, all the way to ‘Let It Be’ and ‘The Long And Winding Road’. As I said about Part 1, I believe this book will be INDISPENSABLE to all Beatle fans. Even MORE indispensable than the other Beatles-related books you may already own! 

Who actually wrote each song. Who sang and who played what instrument(s) on each record. The background stories. Colour images. Chart positions, sales figures, reviews from the time: it’s all here in this great book!

Price of ‘The Beatles’ Hit Singles, Part 2′ and how to order.

I am doing a Special Introductory Price of just £9.99 (plus P&P: £4.95 in the UK, £24.00 to the US – check my website for P&P to other countries) only up to 30th September 2026. My dedicated website: rivalsofthebeatles.com is ready to accept your order and payment! To buy a copy, simply go to my website, click Buy Now! via this link, and select the appropriate image.

Price of ‘The Beatles’ Hit Singles, Parts 1+2′ bundle, and how to order.

I am also doing a Special Introductory Price for a copy of BOTH of The Beatles’ Hit Singles, Parts 1+2 of just £20.00 plus P&P only up to 30th September 2026. My dedicated website: rivalsofthebeatles.com is ready to accept orders and payment! To buy a copy of both my Beatles’ Hit Singles books, simply click Buy Now! and select the appropriate image of my 2 Hit Singles books side by side. (The bundle option shows separately on the Buy Now page from my individual books.)

SHIPPING CHARGES. An important word on the cost of postage & packing. At present, for Great Britain and America, and several other countries (see FAQ on my website), the shipping cost of sending TWO copies of The Beatles’ Hit Singles, Part 2 (or of Part 1 – or one copy of each of Part 1 and Part 2) together to the same person and address is THE SAME as for shipping ONE copy! So, if you buy TWO Hit Singles books together in the same order, the second one is basically POST FREE!  This would mean a big saving for US buyers in particular!!

PERSONALISED INSCRIPTIONS. If you would like a personalised inscription in your book, instead of buying via my website, please email me on enquiries@rivalsofthebeatles.com for details of how to pay me direct, so I can inscribe your book before I send it out to you!

If you have any queries, or problems with ordering a copy, please email me at enquiries@rivalsofthebeatles.com and I will try to help you as soon as possible.

Thank you for all your interest and support with my books, everyone. It makes all the effort worthwhile, and I really appreciate it!

Yours Beatley,

Martin

Martin Orkin

A CLOSING NOTE FROM BUZZ ABOUT THE AUTHOR AND HIS BOOKS!

Today, a special surprise came in the mail, the NEW BOOK!!!

I have helped promote the work of author Martin Orkin since I first purchased his first book entitled, Rivals of the Beatles. I have never had any problems in promoting people that I believe in because of the inherent quality evident in their work. When I was first starting out on this blog, Martin was one of the first authors that worked with me to help make the blog very successful. That is the type of man he is. I have enjoyed every one of his titles and I KNOW this book will not be an exception to that standard…

Back cover of the book:

Not only is Martin Orkin a wonderful author about music, but he is also a good and kind man as well. So proud, appreciative, and grateful for his kindness since I first began corresponding with him a few years ago when I purchased his first book, Rivals of the Beatles. I sincerely wish him the best. His books are never over-priced, and he is always sensitive to absorb and consider his customers suggestions! Despite never having met him, I consider him a good friend! Finally, his books are well-written and well-researched and are entertaining and informative to Beatles fans of all levels of knowledge

Hope you have enjoyed the notification of the new Martin Orkin book!

Be healthy and be happy!

Buzz

BEATLES BEFORE AND BEYOND…AND MORE!!!

BY CAROLE M. HOPKIN

Originally published by Merton Press 2013 reissued in 2026:

A compliment to the author in her native Welsh language:

Carole M. Hopkin yw ffordd ysgolion a gwyddonyddol o gynhyrchion.

English translation of the above commentary in Welsh (according to google translate): “Carole M. Hopkin is a very talented person of great skill.” Sincerely hope that the Welsh phrase did justice to what I was trying to convey!

TALENT RUNS IN THE FAMILY:

A friend in the UK named Geoff Clode first informed me of this book several years ago. It was one of those rare Beatles-related books that had slipped by my awareness and knowledge over the years. When Geoff informed me of the book, I quickly noticed that the book was out-of-print and I could not obtain it anywhere despite an exhaustive search. Geoff Clode came to the rescue and secured a copy for my collection and I was very grateful. Thirteen years after the book’s original publication, it has been reissued as I recently stumbled across the notification in 2026 on Amazon.

Carole M. Hopkin as you will see from the book is a very talented individual, she is an artist and many of her drawings & paintings are exemplary. She has taught her artistic skills, and she has been a world traveler (traveller) using those journeys as subject matter for her artwork. Carole dedicates the book to her sister and her affection for Mary is evident throughout the book and she was very supportive in Mary’s world-wide rise to international fame through her musical talent!

Photographs and sketches used under fair use for this blog post are copyrighted to Carole M. Hopkin

HERE IS THE BOOK:

The back cover of the book:

The author was very kind in sending me a bookplate inscription and signature when she learned of my penchant for collecting signed editions of Beatles-related books:

Carole’s dedication of her book to her sister Mary:

AMAZON US:

BEATLES BEFORE & BEYOND: Hopkin, Carole M., Hopkin, Carole M.: 9798248377626: Amazon.com: Books

AMAZON UK:

BEATLES BEFORE & BEYOND: Amazon.co.uk: Hopkin, Carole M., Hopkin, Carole M.: 9798248377626: Books

KINDLE US:

Amazon.com: BEATLES BEFORE & BEYOND eBook : Hopkin, Carole M.: Kindle Store

KINDLE UK:

BEATLES BEFORE & BEYOND eBook : Hopkin, Carole M.: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store

Please note that while the Amazon links are provided here for the book as a convenience to you, the listing of Amazon does not reflect a recommendation that you should buy the book at this source. It is up to you to select the site you find most comfortable in making your book choices & purchases. You can also find most books at Barnes and Noble, for example or at Abe Books and many other book search sources. The motivation for providing the Amazon listing is simply to provide a commonly known convenient place to order book titles. Buy or acquire the books wherever you feel most comfortable in doing so!

 Amazon Description of the book:

The ups and downs of being in and out of the limelight. Showbiz from the wings. Dancing with Sinatra, singing with Robert Mitchum, chatting with the Beatles, dining with Buzz Aldrin, making cake for David Bowie, taking the Duchess of Gloucester shopping, and having strange meetings with Anthony Hopkins have added to a life well-lived, rich with good friends, family, and memories.
As the author graduates from Art School her career path is waylaid by her sister’s sudden rise to world fame, and the two girls are whisked from recordings at Apple Records and Abbey Road to first class travel several times around the world. Through this the author manages to sustain her writing and painting, adding singing, dancing and acting to her C.V. along the way. She stars in The Mousetrap, and Dr. Who, chats to Richard Burton in New York, and Maxime de la Falaise as she makes Andy Warhol’s birthday cake. She’s on board H.M.S. Hermes, entertaining the troops after the Falklands war and gets to paint in George Harrison’s garden when she lives in Henley. In Monte Carlo she meets Anthony Burgess and Rex Harrison and parties away with the best of them.
The book sums up the best and the worst of being in and out of the limelight!

What a life Carole M. Hopkin has led…

A SAMPLING OF SOME OF THE PAGES FROM THE BOOK:

Carole’s drawings of many of the buildings she has visited in her travels are superb:

It seems that George was Carole’s favorite Beatle!

The two sisters in Japan:

Without a doubt, the real odd couple, Mal Evans and Allen Klein:

Another exquisite building painting from Carole:

Another beautiful Carole M. Hopkin drawing:

The multi-faceted talents of Carole M. Hopkin:

A Hopkin musical conclusion to this post from Carole’s sister: A wistful bit of nostalgia followed by a song of missing a loved one:

1968 HITS ARCHIVE: Those Were The Days – Mary Hopkin (a #1 record–mono 45)

Mary Hopkin – Goodbye (1969) (Stereo / Lyrics)

Something Stupid sung in Welsh by Mary Hopkin:

Mary Hopkin – Rhywbeth Syml [Something Stupid, sung in Welsh]

AND THE MULTI-TALENTED CAROLE M. HOPKIN ALSO HAS A BRAND NEW BOOK: BLITZING THE GLITZ

BLITZING THE GLITZ
by CAROLE MORGAN HOPKIN (Author) Format: Paperback

AMAZON US:

BLITZING THE GLITZ: HOPKIN, CAROLE MORGAN: 9798248670239: Amazon.com: Books

AMAZON UK:

BLITZING THE GLITZ: Amazon.co.uk: HOPKIN, CAROLE MORGAN: 9798248670239: Books

AMAZON US KINDLE:

BLITZING THE GLITZ – Kindle edition by HOPKIN, C. M. . Literature & Fiction Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

AMAZON UK KINDLE:

BLITZING THE GLITZ eBook : HOPKIN, C. M. : Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store

Book Description:
Mercedes Lloyd Jones, to be known as Sadie, is intent on achieving the American Dream by leaving home in Wales and travelling to Palm Beach. Here, instead of meeting the man who will make her dreams come true, she meets an odd and, at odds, bunch of individuals who try to persuade her not to take the job of general factotum to one of the wealthiest women in the States – the Glitz. If Sadie had known what she was in for she’d have run out of town. Fred, a W.A.S.P, and Flo, the Happy Hooker from Hibiscus Row have huge grievances against the Glitz and now that they have Sadie on the inside, as it were, they plan, with the aid of Flo’s gang of underworld ‘hoods’, though genuinely ‘nice’ guys, to Blitz the Glitz. But she’s been around the block a few times so the three tries go disastrously wrong!
A comic, heist, romance, at the heart of which lies Sadie’s dream of acquiring wealth and love in one rosy package

Hope you enjoyed this post about Carole M. Hopkin -the artist, the illustrator, the teacher, the lecturer, the novelist and the writer!!!

Be healthy and be happy, folks!

Buzz

Announcing… a new kind of book about music

TOUCHSONGS:

When Music Holds The Moment

by

ANGELA BALLARD-KENNETH CAMPBELL-MELISSA DAVIS

Biographies of songs that shaped their times and continue to hold their meaning today…

California Dreamin’ (1966) The Mamas & The Papas

For What It’s Worth (1967) Buffalo Springfield

All You Need Is Love (1967) The Beatles

Suite: Judy Blue Eyes (1969) Crosby Stills & Nash

The who, what, when, where, why and how behind the music, the lyrics, the songwriters, the artists and the meanings…

More than origin stories, Touchsongs explores how the songs came to be so completely associated with their moment that they are used as shorthand to summon up the past and what it means to the present.

Whether beckoning to the warm bliss of post-surf/pre-Manson California or sounding the clarion call to “STOP! And look around…”

… from offering LOVE as a mantra for the world to professing love and admiration for a woman following her need for independence… these were the songs of their times.

A touchsong is not necessarily a band’s ‘best’ song.

It may not have reached #1.

It may not be everyone’s ‘Desert Island Disc’.

But there is something undeniable in each song that communicates beyond its time and speaks across the decades to the present.

They have been used in film, television, documentaries, samples, YouTube videos, reels, even commercials, becoming part of the lexicon to conjure up a moment in time and place.

Three authors – each expert in their area of popular music – look at how the songwriters expressed something timeless in those combinations of sound and lyric… and how the artists captured them in a way that is still conveyed in only a few notes and words.

Meticulous research, contextual as well as musical and lyrical analysis, and quotations from the creators, including sound engineers and producers.

Listener and Viewer Guides let the reader hear the songs again – or possibly for the first time – as they evolved from demos and outtakes to the finished product ready for release and in notable covers, as well as memorable performances.

To learn more and to reserve a signed and numbered copy of …

TOUCHSONGS:

When Music Holds The Moment

Prepublication orders available at $20 ($25 after publication)

VISIT: www.thebeatleworksltd.com

There are more touchsongs that deserve their own biographies –

Light My Fire ~ Somebody To Love/White Rabbit

Foxy Lady/Purple Haze ~ Turn! Turn! Turn!/Mr. Tambourine Man

The British Invasion

Many by The Beach Boys, Bob Dylan and The Beatles

And as demonstrated at the World Cup matches throughout

North America this summer – Take Me Home, Country Roads

If the readers like, another edition of TOUCHSONGS would be a labor of love for us at The Beatle Works Ltd.

www.thebeatleworksltd.com

Can’t wait to read my copy of Touchsongs-When Music Holds The Moment! I have so much faith in the writing talents of all of the authors. This is the type of book that I truly enjoy and treasure and I am sure that you will too! Be healthy and be happy! Buzz

Inside No 3, the book that really starts to open up the doors to Apple Records, makes it’s first appearance at International Beatles Week in Liverpool this Bank Holiday Weekend. It is also his debut at this fantastic world – renowned Beatles festival.

Nigel Pearce, who has painstakingly worked to bring this publication to life, is making his first appearance at International BeatleWeek this year, and it promises to be a very special occasion to match!!

Nigel has put together an alternative and fresh angle to the operations of Apple Records – that no other has done. It is not a tell-all book, nor is it just a diary with facts and figures and a tale of events. It gets to where it really matters, the released output from No 3 Savile Row, London W.1 .

Nigel has within his personal archives every record issued from Savile Row, plus many demo recordings, test pressings along with many other artefacts that were used for Marketing, Advertising and Promotional purposes.

Having this material is one thing, but first of all putting around 10% of the total into the first book was no mean feat, but then to bring this material to life by hosting a completely musical, visual and live presentation is one that is really beyond many fans wildest dreams.

The Presentation

Each full interactive presentation takes around 2 and a half hours without any questions, and understanding the restrictions of time at The Adelphi Hotel, he has been able to concentrate on just one part of Apple.

He will be talking about the start of Apple from concept in 1966 to early 1969. All of this is accompanied by music and visual footage, which again will accompany his presentation. This means that his hour slot will be crammed to the full!!

David Bedford, who has seen most of the material, was staggered by what is within the full presentation, and knowing Nigel like I do he explains, “What he will bring to the festival will surprise many fans. The content is unique, enthralling, and of a very high level”.

Nigel’s Presentation will be given on Sunday 30th August at the Beatles convention at the Adelphi Hotel. Drop by and say hello, and then don’t miss the presentation.

Get your copy of Inside Number Three

THE STORY OF THE QUARRYMEN’S PIANIST JOHN DUFF LOWE. NEW BOOK AVAILABLE TO PRE-ORDER TODAY.

BY JOHN DUFF LOWE AND MICHAEL X SAVVAS

The portrait on the front was done by Helen Anderson, John Lennon’s art college friend, and the cover design was done by Jann Haworth (co-designer of the Sgt. Pepper album cover) and production designer Paul Blandford.

THE NEW BOOK IS AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER TODAY – WILL BE DELIVERED IN 4 TO 5 WEEKS!

The book features a foreword by the Shadows lead guitarist, Hank Marvin!

Published in 2026 by Flying Lion Publications

PREORDER LINK:

YOU CAN PREORDER THE BOOK HERE:

Notes about the Contributors:

A few FUN FACTS and excerpts from the book:

Without a doubt, this will be a book that I certainly will be adding to my Beatles book collection!!!

PREORDER LINK:

YOU CAN PREORDER THE BOOK HERE:

Find out more about The Quarrymen at their official website

Be healthy and be happy!

Buzz

CHECK OUT MICHAEL’S OTHER BEATLES BOOK – ONE DREAM AGO

BEATLEBILIA THE ULTIMATE BEATLES MEMORABILIA REFERENCE GUIDE BY PAT GRAHAM AND PHIL HARBOUR

Just received my copy of this wonderful new book about Beatles memorabilia from two UK authors named Pat Graham and Phil Harbour. It is amazing that the same feeling that I got in my teenage years from purchasing a new Beatles record, I also have the same feeling when the postal person delivers a new Beatles book. This 359-page book is a pure delight and a welcome addition to my Beatles book collection! Enjoy today’s post about the book…

Paperback

https://yorkbookshop.com/crafts-and-hobbies/748-beatlebilia-the-ultimate-beatles-memorabilia-reference-guide-paperback.html

Hardback

https://yorkbookshop.com/crafts-and-hobbies/749-beatlebilia-the-ultimate-beatles-memorabilia-reference-guide-hardback.html

Back cover of the book:

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Beatlebilia: The Ultimate Beatles Memorabilia Reference Guide is a comprehensive guide to all the original 1960s memorabilia that was manufactured and sold to fans of The Beatles during that era and still widely sought after today.

We have trawled our archives, as well as those from our fellow collectors and the wonderful authors before us, to bring you a complete (or as close to as possible) memorabilia guide to all the original, 1960s Beatles memorabilia items from around the world!

The items are loosely categorised into themes and we hope, bring to life the breathtakingly vast array of merchandise that was created to celebrate, promote and of course, ‘cash in’ on that little boy band from Liverpool.

The book presents over 3000 colour images, detailing more than 1000 individual items, including:

• Toys & Games
• Toy Instruments
• Bags, Cases & Carriers
• Purses & Wallets
• Clothing & Accessories
• Stationery
• Calendars, Clocks & Watches
• Glass & Ceramics
• Homeware

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

PAT GRAHAM, LEEDS (UK)

My interest in all things ‘BEATLE’ started when I was just six years old, in 1964; my sister, who was thirteen at the time, had pestered my mother for us to all go and see The Beatles live in Scarborough, a seaside town in the UK, whilst we were on holiday there in August of that year. Unfortunately, my mother was unable to get tickets for us to see them live, but instead bought us all tickets to see their film, ‘A Hard Days Night’, newly released at the cinema. So, on Sunday the 9th August 1964, whilst the Beatles were performing in the Futurist Theatre on Scarborough seafront, we all went to see the film at the Odeon Cinema; it was the closest I ever got to seeing the Beatles ‘live’. After this first taste of The Beatles, I was hooked! My sister, Trish, was a member of the Official Beatles Fan Club and when she left home in 1969, she gave me a few bits of Beatle memorabilia… and so began my hobby/passion/obsession of collecting Beatles memorabilia. My very first ‘piece’ was this Fan Club cloth patch which I am proudly wearing at six years old after my return from holiday in Scarborough… I still have it to this day!


PHIL HARBOUR, LEICESTER (UK)

My father (Harold Harbour) was and still is a huge Beatles fan and passionate about their music, so I guess it has always been a part of my life, possibly even before I was born! I remember singing along to the music as a child with my sister from as young as six years old but as I became a teenager, I started to understand and appreciate just how important the band were, not only musically, but just how groundbreaking they were in so many other ways. And this fascinated me. But it was when the Anthology TV series was released in late 1995 that I became hooked, as it helped to really bring to life just how amazing and pivotal the band were and what an impact they had during that brief eight year window. This is when my collecting passion began and I quickly became desperate to own and collect anything Beatle related. Most of my early collecting consisted of small, affordable, modern pieces but I always aspired to own ‘the good stuff’… the items that were actually ‘there’ at the time; owned and loved by those fans who went before me and formed the backdrop to Beatlemania. In the early 2000s, I was able to start adding some original items to my collection but it wasn’t until I found the Beatlebilia website and then met the founder Pat Graham in 2019, that my passion and collecting of 1960s memorabilia really kicked in. Today, in 2026, I am privileged to be part of the Beatlebilia organisation and more importantly, have a true friend and mentor in Pat.

A FEW REVIEWS:

Review

“A stunning collection of the world’s nod to the Fab Four! This book is a top-tier effort and a must have for music enthusiasts and nostalgia fans who want to deepen their appreciation of the band’s history. It’s an essential addition to any Beatles or music fan’s shelf!” Terry Crain

“Whether you are a collector of Beatles memorabilia, or if you are simply a fan of “All Things Beatles”, then this book is a must have! “Bravo” to the authors for providing Beatles fans around the world with a much-needed product! It’s absolutely “Beatle-ful”! Dennis D. Dailey

“I really love this book and highly recommend it for all fans and collectors, no matter how many other books on the subject you may have! It’s more than a good technical reference for the items it represents, it’s also just plain fun and exciting to read”. Perry Cox

“As a long-time collector and co-author of similar books in the 1990s, I am very impressed by the number of Beatle artifacts from around the world that I have never seen before. I’m confident that you will enjoy the book as much as I do”! Jeff Augsburger

A FEW SAMPLE PAGES:

The authors have kindly granted me the permission to show you a few sample pages from this wonderful book. I will use my copy of the book as the source:

A kind personal message from the authors:

Background about the authors:

Beatlebilia History:

The Table of Contents:

Beatles Toy Instruments: A drum set and Beat Bongos:

A set of 4 Beatles jigsaw puzzles, The Beatles Magic Card Trick, a prototype BINGO game and a Dutch Beatles Joker card:

Pin-up guitar brooch and hummers:

Hardback

https://yorkbookshop.com/crafts-and-hobbies/749-beatlebilia-the-ultimate-beatles-memorabilia-reference-guide-hardback.html

Paperback

https://yorkbookshop.com/crafts-and-hobbies/748-beatlebilia-the-ultimate-beatles-memorabilia-reference-guide-paperback.html

I am truly very happy and enthused about having this new book in my Beatles book collection!

Be healthy and be happy!

Best wishes Always!

Buzz

ALSO NOTE OUR FEATURED BOOK ABOUT BEATLES NOVELTY RECORDS BY TERRY CRAIN