Description

Billy McErlane wants to be the world’s only recluse celeb. Having gone to jail at the age of fourteen for the murder of his stepfather doesn’t make it easy and nor does having a harlot for a mother, but when he is reunited with his childhood sweetheart peace enters Billy’s heart. Then fate deals a wrecking blow. The last thing Billy needs is Dillon, a four-year-old with a background as unpromising as his. A bittersweet story of love, loss and one young man’s refusal to accept what life offers.

Things readers have said about the book:

An unforgettable character with a compelling voice
The only way Billy McErlane can escape the horrors of life on a sink estate is to let himself be convicted of murder. We meet him as a teenager in prison where he will do anything to better his chances other than reveal the events which led to his conviction. Despite his desperate circumstances Billy is bright and there are already hints he is gifted. With the help of a sympathetic probation officer he wins a national photography competition and is ultimately freed. However his past is always close behind – in the shape not only of his feckless and grasping mother (in a lovely touch near the end he realises what she suffered in her youth) but also the probation officer whose ‘help’ went way beyond the bounds of career mentoring.
Billy is a great character, by turns tough and vulnerable, showing physical cruelty but with a streak of respectability and a tender heart. Most of all he comes through in a narrative voice which is believable and very compelling. this book is a riff which takes us backwards and forwards through his life to an unexpected but satisfying redemption.

Unpredictable and uplifting
John Lynch has certainly found his literary voice in this very realistic delivery of the life story of a disadvantaged soul, Billy McErlane. Billy learns to forgive, let go of the bad things in life, accept with grace the good things and finally reach out to others. While I can see that the genre may be classified as ‘coming of age’, for me, the plot entwines elements of ‘voyage and return’, ‘rags to riches’, ‘tragedy’ and ‘rebirth’ (Booker, 2004). ‘Zappa’s Mam’s a Slapper’ grasped my attention from the first page to the last, with Billy showing me through his eyes and words his ups and downs. Real, honest and insightful.

Loved this from the first line to the last
I really enjoyed this book. I loved the writing style and the humor. I loved the characters, and even when they were a little cliched, it didn’t matter. Sometimes a good book falls a bit flat at the end, but I loved reading The Making of Billy McErlane right to the last line. Sad, funny, and heartwarming.

A touching story about a man’s journey to overcome the hand life dealt him
After I read Lynch’s Bio, I was curious about his writing; two different genres, written under two different names. I read one of his historical fiction books: “A Just and Upright Man, (R.J. Lynch)” and then purchased “Zappa’s Mam’s A Slapper” (John Lynch)
I enjoyed both, but “Zappa’s Mam’s A Slapper” really touched me. This is a book that had so much reality and feeling; I felt I could have been reading a biography, rather than fiction.
Lynch portrays the many aspects of Billy McErlane’s journey from life as a child at home with his siblings and their dysfunctional, promiscuous mother, to his involvement with the criminal element in the neighborhood, arriving at a point where he breaks under pressure and commits a felony that results in him being sent to a Young Offenders institution at the age of 14. There he sees more of the vilest sides of humanity. Fortunately, with inspiration and direction from his counselors, he discovers a budding talent with a camera and Photoshop. Both are skills that he takes with him when he is released on parole at the age of 18.
After his return to society, Billy (known as Zappa) is determined to pull himself out of the environment he grew up in. As I read, I wondered if he could do it, when those around him chose to do the only thing they knew. His mother made my heart ache, and as I read the last couple of chapters, my eyes filled with tears.
In the end, Billy has to make a life altering decision. Will he break the cycle, or will he watch history repeat itself?
This book made me think about how sheltered my own life has been; also about how important stability and love are for people of all ages. “Zappa’s Mam’s a Slapper” is not all about tragedy and despair though—I laughed at times, I admired Billy at times, I shook my head many times, and I feared for him often.
This isn’t a read for the faint of heart: it is a harsh and sometimes ugly look at humanity. It can offer hope for those who struggle to rise above their circumstances; it should open the eyes of others to humility and gratitude for having been dealt a kinder hand. I am not traditionally “religious,” but the phrase “But for the grace of God, there go I,” came to me.