A former seafarer who transitioned to writing children’s books has found success selling his self-published work at marine retail outlets.
Robert Mardle, an Oxford resident, was invited to autograph copies of his book Tales of a Legless Pirate at the Southampton Boat Show, where multiple exhibitors had taken the title into stock.
The 500 copies he printed remain partially unsold, with 250 units still available, though he anticipates demand will increase during the festive season as the humorous tale of a seafaring pirate and his family could appeal as a gift.
Mr Mardle accumulated four decades of experience working at sea before turning his hand to authorship.
The narrative has discovered its core market through chandleries and waterway retailers rather than conventional bookshop chains.
He has expressed comfort with his approach of targeting specialist marine retailers, where he has achieved measurable results, and noted his preference for continuing along this distribution path.
Sales through mainstream bookshops, including chains such as Blackwells and Waterstone’s, have not matched the performance seen in specialist outlets.
Despite this, he maintains an optimistic outlook regarding his distribution strategy and remains committed to perseverance.
The author resides on Abbey Road in Oxford, with his property adjoining a canal, and continues to focus promotional efforts on marine retailers across coastal regions and inland waterways of England.