John McCrudden
Born in Belfast Northern Ireland John left school with no qualifications due to an undiagnosed disability of dyslexia. After a few years in the Army John went into the IT industry. John knew he had potential that was unrealised because of his disability and after many years of self-study and periods of living in Germany and Denmark John had taught himself to speak fluently in two further European languages. Laughing at his own disability John says that he has been able to achieve bad spelling in three different languages.
John left the Army as a disabled war veteran with physical injuries and PTSD inflicted in the war against terror. After attending many years of night school, John achieved a BSc in Information Technology and an MSc in Information Technology and Project Management.
A father of five children and a long and happy marriage of 32 years, John is passionate about teaching and communication.
His first book “A Moral Vendetta” was an exercise in dealing with his PTSD through writing and addressing the legacy of his harrowing experiences in the back streets of Belfast in the IRA Catholic ghettos of West Belfast.
John’s second book “Trolls Don’t Do Kung Fu” was inspired by the statue “Troll Scenting Christian Flesh” Created in 1896 By Niels Hansen Jacobsen. John says about the book that it was the most enjoyable thing he has done besides being with his family. Will there be more? Definitely, John says that Laeringsted is two thirds complete and he hopes to complete by mid 2013.
What is the worst thing anyone has ever said to you? I get a bit defensive about my dyslexia. It is an invisible disability. When my PTSD is laughed at, I can cope with that because at least I got that doing something for my country. I tend to get easily hurt when people poke fun at my spelling. People seem to mistake dyslexia with stupidity and I once heard a very wise man, my father say.
“Whom is the most ignorant, he who cannot read or he that can and does not?”
And what is the best thing anyone has ever said to you? Well apart from my wife standing in a square in Denmark and saying. “That Troll looks like it’s doing Kung Fu” to which I replied “Trolls Don’t Do Kung Fu!”
She replied. “That is a good title for a book.” And I had to agree.
When I was struggling with my night school raising a young family and dealing with my disabilities, she once said to me.
“If you do not want to keep starting over. Do not give up the first time round.”
Upon that statement, I built an education including a HNC, a BSc an MSc and a profile of some advanced professional qualifications, all of which I owe to my dear wife’s support and understanding.
