Author Ricky Weir on the release of his memoir ‘Illegitimately Blessed’

A life well-lived certainly deserves to be documented. Author Ricky Weir’s page-turning memoir ‘Illegitimately Blessed: My Journey to Being Black to White to Me’ is a testament to this. As the title suggests, Weir’s life has defied categorisation. From being an unwanted and illegitimate child to carving a successful path for himself, he has had a most interesting journey. This memoir is an account of his life from being an adopted black child in working-class Scotland to working for billionaire Kevin Leech and founding the Jersey 2 Africa 4 Football Foundation. Going by the description on the book’s back cover which refers to it as a “roadmap for anyone who has ever felt out of place in their own skin”, the book has a wide appeal.

On the occasion of the book’s launch, Weir gives an exclusive interview to the Sunday Guardian. Excerpts from an edited interview:

1. Tell us about your book. Why did you choose to write it?
2. Over a number of years many people told me that I had an interesting story and that I should write a book. At first, I ignored them as I felt there were many people out there with interesting stories which were probably more compelling and exciting than my own. As an avid reader I also seriously doubted my own ability to actually write a book. In 2022, however, I seriously began to consider the advice of people insisting that I write a book as ‘I owed it to the world’ to share my story.

After a self-reflective solo travel journey by train across Europe that summer, the pieces formed in my head which led to the release of this book. My ultimate motivation to write the book was the sincere wish that at least one person would garner hope, inspiration and courage in applying my learnings to their own life.

1. What was your process of writing this book and how long did it take to write?
2. The early stages consisted of me putting my thoughts down. In the beginning, I structured it by ‘subject matter’, dedicating a chapter to each theme, to make it easier for myself. Things changed when one of my editors pointed out that this reduced the importance of certain themes. The role of football in my life, for example, was too important to be relegated to a single chapter. So, we intertwined it throughout the book. It went through several structural edits till we arrived at a sweet spot that captured my story in the most impactful and authentic manner. Overall, from start to finish the process took almost exactly two years to complete.
3. What are the challenges of writing a memoir? And how did you overcome them?
4. Having only written one book I cannot assess or judge how the challenges of writing a memoir differ from writing a novel or other book. I’m sure there are different challenges, but I believe there will be similar challenges faced by all authors. Everyone feels the imposter syndrome and has to deal with procrastination.

For the former, we must learn to silence those voices in our head questioning everything.

For the latter, there are many days when motivation levels are below zero. To overcome this, I decided not to focus solely on the ‘end’ or it would overwhelm me. Hence, for the first 18 months, I took what I would refer to as ‘baby steps’ and focused on completing daily goals. That could be something as simple as committing to writing for two hours at a stretch and on other days it could be a commitment to finishing a certain chapter or description of a particular life event.

The last 3-4 months were probably the most gruelling and challenging, when the finish line came into view. I can compare it to running a marathon, where you have completed 80 percent or 22-23 miles, but the last 3-4 miles are harder than the previous 23 which leads to many people giving up at that point. I didn’t want to have reached that far only to give up and that was the daily motivation that carried me through those final few months.

1. What makes your memoir unique and different from others on the market?
2. I believe every memoir, by nature, is unique. I’m fortunate that my readers have shared testimonials about why they loved mine in particular.
3. What are you working on next?
4. At the moment, I am focused on sharing, marketing and talking about ‘Illegitimately Blessed’. I have no immediate plans for a second book at this time but will follow the journey of where this one takes me in terms of new insights, opportunities and openings.
5. Why do you feel one should read this book?
6. I would like to defer to those readers who have already read the book and have shared within their testimonials why others should read the book. I’m sharing a few here:

“Illegitimately Blessed is one of those rare memoirs that stays with you long after the last page is turned. Ricky Weir’s story moved me deeply. I started reading it with curiosity and slowly found myself completely immersed in his life after the first few chapters.

What struck me most was his ability to transform rejection, confusion and identity crises into a life of impact and purpose,” says Priyanka Joshi from India.

Lindi L. from Jersey shares, “From the very first pages, I found myself drawn into Ricky’s writing – so beautifully simple, which I believe pulls readers into the profound and powerful themes he seamlessly weaves throughout his reflections. I found his conversational tone created a sense of intimacy, as though you’re right beside him, sharing in his musings.

I was profoundly touched as I followed his journey – whether in his intimate exchanges with his father, his exploration of identity in relation to his skin colour, or his courageous decision to distance himself from parental influence to uncover his true self.”

Debbie A. from the US, summarises it best: “This is a powerful and personal story about identity and self-acceptance. Ricky shares his journey of navigating race, family and finding his true self. The book is emotional, honest and sometimes even funny. An inspiring read which I highly recommend.”

1. What was your takeaway from the experience of writing this book?
2. It was a lot of hard work but ultimately, it was worth it. I know that I’ve told my story as best as I could. It was a real learning process.

Noor Anand Chawla pens lifestyle articles for various publications and her blog www.nooranandchawla.com.