My Bio

Bio – Peter-James Pienaar

Pseudonym – Sir Peter James Dotcomé

Peter-James is an author and writer. Retired and living in the Emerald Isle, he spends time with his wife and follows his passion – writing. Having published more than five hundred articles over six years on his blog sites he has proved his skill at writing on many different topics and through a variety of genres. These include short stories, essays, poems, biographies; books, movies, restaurant reviews, and wise-word quotes.

Peter-James published his first book of short stories in 2020 and has ghost-written three books for happy customers since then. He wrote snippets on Irish history in 2021.

By nature, he is an adventurous soul, having at different times been an entrepreneur, pilot, and water ski racer. Peter-James has travelled much and loves to take on new ventures.

Some Reviews from clients for whom I ghost-wrote:

(Names cannot be published as ghost writers do not own the rights.)

A Review

Non-fiction self-help book

“Honestly after reading the book and looking at the references, I appreciate the great detail you went into about topics you may not have known about as well as you do now and I really do appreciate the amount of research you were willing to do in order for this book to be as great as it can be, and for you Summer, I appreciate your swiftness and ability to make the most of you time with us. It was great working with you both and I’ll most certainly shoot you a link to the book when its ready to go!”

A Review

Non-fiction self-help book

I really enjoyed the information contained therein, and Peter’s writing was very informative, with a style that made the subject matter interesting, and a riveting read. Not dry, as can be the case with some non-fiction books.

I picked up some great tips for peace of mind in my own life as well, so I should thank you!

A Review

Non-fiction self-help book

Hello @admin and @Sir Peter-James – Thank y’all so much for all work that’s been put into this book so far! The storyline is great, and I really love the way everything flows.

A Review

Non-fiction self-help book

Well of course! This has been a one-of-a-kind experience! I loved working with you, and you did an amazing job writing this book 🙂 I cannot wait to publish it!

A Review

Non-fiction self-help book

I love the message of your book, there just isn’t enough kindness in the world today, and I feel strongly that communication, love, and empathy are keys to that. It’s been a pleasure editing your book, thank you for fostering this message, and Peter did a lovely job with the research and writing.

I love your writing style, it’s very descriptive and positive, and the ideas flow quite nicely – I learned a bit while editing too. It’s a great message.

Below are a few snippets of work I have written:

‘The Complete Guide to Psychological and Spiritual Growth’

A non-fiction book on achieving psychological growth Ghost written for a client.

The Complete Guide to Psychological and Spiritual Growth is a ‘Self-Help’ publication. In recent years academics have pushed, particularly in the field of medicine, to research the world of Self-Help.

This book is an offer from the author, who is not a medical professional, to present his personal experience in terms of growth in psychology and spirituality.

This personal testimony, coupled with a few charts and facts gleaned from medical professionals, is designed to motivate readers to make changes for the better in their lives.

In a world where medical services come at no mean cost, and professionals are overworked, it is wise to look at self-help options in addition to treatment by professionals. For the most part, what the reader will find in the book is common sense which is beneficial for both body and mind.

Because none of us can predict what will happen once, we die, the spiritual side cannot be said to be common sense. The spiritual is essentially something we all experience personally and differently. Spiritual experiences are not proved scientifically. The writer found that his spiritual experience gave him the ability to deal with matters of the past and offered him hope for the future. As he sees his future, it does not appear definitive. But he lives with a sense of peace about enjoying his life on Earth to the full and accepting whatever his future may hold.

This book’s message is an appeal to readers to seriously evaluate the function of their body, mind, and spirit. By doing so, they will be helping themselves to lead a fruitful, peaceful, and happy life.

‘Tot Facienda Parum Factum’

Part fiction part historical and self-help essay.

Tot facienda parum factum – ‘So much to do, so little done’.

The last words were uttered by Cecil John Rhodes, British businessman, mining magnate, and founder of Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe and Zambia) on his deathbed.

This was the motto of my high school and whenever I remember these words, I recall my teachers, trying vainly to drum it into my mind that I was to find more time to study.

True or not, the words had little or no effect on a young man who found dreaming of far greater excitement and comfort.

It was many, many years later, as a businessman, who could never find enough time in my day to complete the ever-growing ‘to-do’ list; that I seriously began to address this issue of, ‘finding time’.

Giving it some careful thought and analysing the words, ‘find time’, I eventually realized that time in my life and the lives of all of us really is static. Whilst time appears to move, in reality it doesn’t.

There are 60 seconds in a minute, 60 minutes in an hour, and 24 hours in a day, so it goes on. If then I start looking for time, where would I go to find it? It is blatantly obvious that time stares me in the face; there right in front of me – day and night, month after month and year after year, I certainly don’t have to ‘look’ for it!

But don’t be fooled, whilst time is static in the sense of being an unchangeable fact, the reality is that the effects of time are not static. A simple example is that from morning to night there is a progressive change in light, to the point where it becomes dark. For a longer time like a few years, the mirror will tell you that there have been some changes in your physical appearance as well (you have got to be my age to appreciate this one). Read more……https://sirpeterjames.com/2018/09/01/tot-facienda-parum-factum-2/

‘The Field – A Movie About Ireland.’

A Fiction Movie Review.

A Movie filmed and released in Ireland, in 1990 by Jim Sheridan.

Based on the stage play of the same name written by John B Keene.

(Produced by Gemini Productions at the Olympia Theatre in Dublin in 1965.)

A review by Sir Peter James Dotcomé.

I viewed the movie through the courtesy of YouTube, and the quality of the picture and sound were far below par. Jim Sheridan’s work stemmed from a fictional play by John B Keene and was set in County Kerry, Ireland, 1930. The filming took place in the village of Leenaun, County Galway and the screenplay was that of Jim Sheridan.

Jim, it seems by comparison with the play, used a sizeable amount of poetic license in writing his screenplay. More about this later.

Ireland is a country where natives fought for the right to own land; they had their fill of being subjugated by landlords from other ethnic and cultural origins. I don’t think it is unfair to say that the natives of Ireland were angry and bitter. The great famine of 1845 exacerbated this situation.

The movie tells us a story about a fictional village in 1930s Ireland. Bull McCabe (Richard Harris,) the protagonist, is an Irish village farmer. Four primary characters are Bull’s son, Tadgh, Bird, Bull’s sidekick, Mick, publican, and auctioneer. Finally, the local Priest. A host of other characters supports these.

Bull is a farmer who rents a small field from a widow and has done so for five years. Over these years, his dedicated care of the field had yielded fine nutritious fodder for his heifers. Raising and selling these animals is his livelihood.

The Widow struggles to live on her pension and decides to auction off her field. Bull tells the local population that he has a right to have the lot as, in his curatorship, the value has increased. The Widow puts a reserve on the field and awaits the outcome. Bull sets about various underhanded means to stop the auction from being publicized. He does this with the aid of Mick, who is managing the auction event. Bull states that he is willing to pay £50, half of the reserve the Widow has set.

Enter a new character, Peter, an American, the antagonist, who has generational roots in the area. Peter wants the field to further his business interests and drives the bidding up, forcing Bull to exceed his £50 bid to £80. Mick halts the auction telling everyone they must return the following day.

Bull and Tadgh, his son, take advantage of the situation and decide to threaten Peter with a beating if he does not leave the village at once. Waylaying him in the dark, they threaten Peter, and then Bull sets Tadgh up to fight Peter. Without any further details, save it to say that during the beating Bull accidentally kills Peter.

I’m sure you will want to know more, so watch the movie.

But there is more from me.

For what the movie lacks in quality, it’s explosive on emotion – the actual value.

Irrespective of your belief system, possible empathies for souls suffering at the hands of their landlords over the centuries; You will need some understanding of this situation.

The Priest had warned Bull not to go outside the law in his dealing with the property sale, but Bull retorted by releasing his deeply emotive reasons for wanting the field.

After the murder of Peter (what may have been decided by the court as a case of manslaughter), not one person in the community would assist the police investigative team. The Priest and Police Sergeant appealed to the community, but to no avail. The Priest finally gave a fire-and-damnation sermon to the community on Sunday, telling them that not only was the perpetrator guilty of suffering eternally in hell, but they too were liars and equally guilty. He followed by refusing all rights offered by the church and closing its doors.

While the police were searching in the sea for a mule, killed in anger by Tadgh and Bull, Peter’s body was discovered. At this point, Bull realized what he had done and lost his mind.

What emerged out of this carnage?

The Widow received the value of her property. Bird, Bull’s faithful sidekick, was the successful bidder at £101. Peter lost his life. His wife was widowed, and his child was subsequently fatherless. Bull took his life and the lives of his son and livestock. If you believe the Priest, the community is now under the sword of Damocles’.

How would you judge the morality in this story?

I would not point the finger at any one party (just my point of view here.) But let me share my point of view anyway.

Two businessmen lock horns over an issue. Both are passionate men wanting their way.

One is from some eight generations of persecution by landlords, mainly of foreign ethnicity. His philosophy says, ‘ownership of land is everything,’ and his philosophy is followed by powerful emotion, to the point where he places himself above the law.

The other was a successful and seemingly arrogant young man who wanted to appease his wife, an Irish native. She tried to return to Ireland at any cost. Possibly his trust in the law was his undoing. We all know the law is something wealthy lawyers’ debate in court, charging huge fees. The law does not offer anyone physical protection. There is the probability, although having Irish roots, he did not research its painful history sufficiently.

Lastly, I would like to mention that I read the book of the play text in conjunction with viewing the movie.

In his play, Keene’s text has quite a few differences compared to the movie. Out of interest, why don’t you read the play version and find out for yourself?

Principally, Keene ends his play with murder (no possibility of manslaughter) committed by a man who now has his land and is untouchable by the law. The community in silent support has packing tape over their lips. Another interesting point is that the antagonist in the play is a certain man named William, who hails from England. I am not certain if the English factor plays a part here, but it bears some thought at least.

What should we make of this find? Nothing really; one man was writing a play in protest and the other, what he hoped would be a box office hit. What do you think?

‘My Son Left Today’

A fictional spiritual essay.

It is said, that no parent should have to bury their child.

Yet, in the span of our lives, we are not given the choice; there are many of us parents, who are given the painful task of burying our children.

Since time immemorial, certain parents have been handed this painful task; a task that came upon them suddenly and in shock, because the death of a child should not be theirs to realize.

Some might say that we were chosen for this experience, not by a random act of fate, but rather a carefully considered plan, set forth by the Master Life Planner, who plans perfectly in every instance.

Whilst we, in our human frailty, might cry out, “Not me please, not my child”, The Planner might be heard to say, “I have planned it so for good, which you cannot see now, but one day, when you meet Me face-to-face, in that instant, you will come to know and understand everything that I planned”.

The Planner would go on to say, “You, mother, in whose womb, I planted this little soul, like a tiny seed, that would one day bring you great joy and even sorrow at times; I watch your heart beating in anguish. I capture each of your many tears in a bottle, that will be seen by Me every moment until you come home to me too”.

Then the Planner would say, “Mother, I know that you are not strong enough to bear this pain now, but I will be your strength forever; you will never leave my sight, not for one moment”.

“Always remember that it was I that chose the life of my child to grow in your love and care, out of all the billions of others that I could have chosen for this task. It was you and only you that I chose, to conceive, give birth and raise, the son that I shared with you for a short season and then I chose for you to give him back to Me”.

“Take courage mother, for I love you like no other can”.

‘Who Would Have Thought’

Non-fiction Irish history essay

Surely, we would all be quick to acknowledge that the greatest technological advent in our day was the invention and household availability of computers and more especially the internet.

One might say that the pace began in the ’80s and it could also be suggested from then until today; the knowledge humanity gained in 40years is equal to that gained from the dawn of civilization until the ’80s!

For a little additional illumination, we should go on a journey through history. I selected a period from the mid-1800’s through to the present day.

In the early 1800s, if we sent off a letter to someone, it could take as many as three months to deliver! Maybe the word ‘urgency’ had a different meaning then. If we consider two World Wars, for instance, communicating vital and timeous information was of critical importance.

In 1844 there was an invention by a man, which was destined to accelerate communication throughout the world. Samuel F. B. Morse inaugurated America’s first commercial telegraph line and Morse Code was introduced into personal, commercial, and military lives.

The next mammoth event took place as the first undersea cable was laid from Newfoundland to Valencia in Ireland by Cyrus West Field, with the aid of four British and American Naval Vessels in 1858.

Finally, it was the turn of a village in Co. Wicklow Ireland, Newcastle, from where in 1886 to 1898, three undersea cables were laid to Aber Geirch in Wales. The 1886 Cable was laid by the HMTS Monarch.

In the 14 years from 1844, there was a momentous change in the world, not unlike from 1980 to today with our world. No more waiting for three months to have a letter delivered – telegrams became a vital form of urgent messaging. For the very first time, money could be transmitted by telephony.

The Newspapers were probably the first to jump onto the bandwagon as now news could be speedily transmitted globally. In addition, Post Offices adapted to the new means of communication.

This little article is by no means exhaustive regarding the Newcastle Cables as there is probably much more. In addition, it only covers this one aspect of the rich Newcastle history. Who knows, we might be back with more.

If we look around us, history is not only in abundance but also very interesting. Wicklow and for that matter, Ireland is no exception. On your next journey to Ireland, or if you are a happy resident here, pay Newcastle a visit – you’ll be pleasantly surprised! If you already live in Newcastle, you may just have learned something you didn’t know – you are famous.

‘Happy Days: Building Your Path to Eternal Peace, Positivity and Health’

Fix Your Cloudy Mindset, Ignorance to Health and Wellness, and Stressful Workflow as We Cover Essentials to Becoming Your Happiest Self.

A non-fiction self-help book

Did you know that happiness could be the most sought-after state in our world today? Are you one of us seeking this seemingly elusive wonder? Keep reading and you will move from myth to clear understanding in a short space of words.

Words that are easy to understand and enjoyable to read. Words which were written, not by an academic, medical professional, or scientist, but just an everyday person making their way through the mysteries of life on earth. Very much like you, otherwise, you wouldn’t be reading this, would you?

As a single slice of the cake to be ultimately eaten and of course, enjoyed, try this; Are you comfortable with change, change in any space of your life? We may accept change, but it usually isn’t comfortable. Whichever way we think on this point we will discover in the chapters ahead, that it’s up to everyone to accept and apply changes that benefit them and the world around them. Only individuals who decide and apply, can, initiate change in their lives. Anyway, we will talk much more about this and how it impacts our lives as we move on.

When IBM turned out computers that would reasonably fit onto our desks and especially in our homes in early 1980, a revolution began. Many of us may not have realized that this clever move on IBM’s part started a knowledge explosion. We might suggest that what this world has accumulated since that day to this, would be equivalent to all the knowledge humankind has gained since civilization began. All this in a short few years!

Do you ever get the feeling you are being left behind with all the new developments that climb into your space? We would like to invite you to come and join us. find out how to deal with what is happening around you every moment of each day.

We will introduce you to the surrounding the speed of change and our lifestyles. If you’ve stepped off the commuter at Grand Central Station in New York at peak hour you will discover all about the speed of life. It’s electric; run, run, run! What about a full English breakfast and coffee for four dollars? Yes, it’s also a sit-down. The catch – you must finish ‘swallowing’ in 15 minutes!

If you find you are struggling with life now and need to climb out of the pit; what you read ahead will help you to do just that. You’ll discover ways to get your mind working for you, pushing away all the negativity your thoughts are disgorging out at you. The little time you invest into reading this book can change your life for the better forever. All you must do is accept and apply. Accept what you read and apply the principles to your life. Not difficult really.

Stay away from the 99% folk, who read, think it’s an excellent idea, and never apply what they agreed was beneficial for growth.

We can’t take every cough to a doctor, our grandparents used to say. So, it is today, that we need to self-manage our lives. It’s not quite as difficult as it sounds, we are only ever a tap away from valuable information via the internet – do it.

My Bio

Pseudonym – Sir Peter James Dotcomé

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