Viva Nuno: The world-wide success of writer's Wolves book

Michael Petalengro, aged 53, has sold more than 20,000 copies of Viva Nuno: The Chinese Revolution which gives a fan's perspective of last season.

He has put his own twist on the book, with Black Country slang and some colourful words, which has proved popular.

Readers have been snapping up copies in the UK and across the world from Brazil to Japan.

The father-of-three is surprised by his book's popularity as he originally intended to produce it for a small audience.

But he believes its success is down to its authenticity and 'telling it like it is'.

"It has been very, very, very popular all over the world," said Michael, from Wednesfield.

"Brazil, Mexico, South America as a whole, Spain, Hong Kong, America, Ireland, but it has done best in the UK.

"It has sold 12,500 copies in paper back and about 8,000 in E-book form.

"It has done extremely well compared to other books of that ilk. I wasn't sure about what the numbers would be like at first.

"Initially I didn't write it to be a success. I wrote it for a couple of people, I thought they would be interested and they would love it.

"I thought what I would do is I would email them and they can enjoy it. But its success has been fantastic.

"The feedback has been majorly positive."

Michael takes the reader on a journey from the start of last season to the finish when Wolves won promotion to the Premier League and the Championship title.

He illustrates the perspective of fans watching from the stands and travelling to games who were witnessing some top-quality football that caught many by surprise.

The journey started with the appointment of boss Nuno Espirito Santo last summer - which came on the back of an uncertain time with Paul Lambert's sacking. Wolves' new billionaire Chinese owners Fosun had also bought the club the previous year.

With the appointment of 44-year-old Nuno, from Portugal, Michael 'knew something special' was going to happen at Wolves.

This was one of the inspirations for his book - a gut feeling that the tide would be turning for Wolves under the new boss.

It was also at a time when Michael had set his sights on pursuing more creative outlets, such as writing, drawing and making music, following his recovery from cancer.

He had a five year battle with the disease which dramatically altered his life where he came close to death.

Following his successful battle, Michael says he suddenly got a huge creative urge - which he had not experienced before - where he would start writing and drawing, while also learning to play the guitar himself.

When he first started writing the book he had been publishing blogs for a number of years - but now he had set his sets on a new creative challenge.

His book was compiled from quick-fire notes made at football matches on scrap pieces of paper and mobile phones.

This gave his book a unique punchy style which constantly 'keeps the reader hooked', as Michael put it.

He said: "It is a book but not as we know a book. A book is quite structural. You have got to have a beginning, a middle and an end. It all kinds of flows together but I knew this season wouldn't be anything like that.

"I knew last season would be quite eclectic and dynamic. There would be highs and lows.

"On an away match I would be writing on a leaflet on the afternoon in the toilets. I would be writing notes on my phone as well.

"I would be using the phone and then speaking into it for 10 minutes about my initial thoughts after the match and what went on.

"Then all those disparate bits of information would be collated when I got back on my laptop. A blog post would be done or a segment of my book.

"And it would take 20 minutes to do. Straight out of my head and straight onto the page without any real editing going on you know.

"It just plonked on there and I thought the immediacy of my experiences at the match, I didn't know whether it would translate onto the page, but obviously it has.

"And I think people have identified that it was done like that and it was quite dynamic and it was very, very raw. But it has its own rhythm to it.

"When people pick the book up they can't stop reading it, and that is the feedback I have got because there is no actual place you can stop.

"You just have to carry on and want to know what happens next."

The book has received five star reviews on Amazon. But it hasn't been carefully edited and proof-read. As Michael says, he would write straight onto the page and that would be generally it.

Alongside swear words, there are a few spelling mistakes and bad punctuation. But that he says that has given his book an edge.

"I think it has done so well world-wide because of the truth in the book, it is like a universal language for people," said Michael.

"People automatically know - when they pick it up or see the first spelling mistake or bad piece of punctuation - that, man, this is true stuff."

And the success of 'Viva Nuno' has prompted publishers to get in touch with Michael about working together.

He said: "It has sold that many copies that a publisher got in touch. Faber & Faber in London, who are big publishers, are very interested in the book.

"They asked me 'how you getting on with it?', 'how many are you selling?', 'would you like to come down here and talk to us?', 'have you got an agent?'. No I haven't got an agent. 'Would you like one?'

"So they are very interested, so I think volume two will be a proper published book. I don't know whether I will go down that route. I am not sure yet."

With the proceeds from the book sales, Michael is hoping to set up a holiday-like centre in Wales for Wolves fans to use.

He wants the space to be for people to get away for a bit, rehabilitate, socialise together and support each other where they can talk about their problems.

"If someone hasn't been on holiday for four or five years or they can't afford to go one, they can go down there for free," said Michael.

"We have to look after one another in this day and age."

Michael's other work includes his blogs on Southbank Resistance. He also publishes a podcast on the blog.

To purchase Michael's book, search for 'Viva Nuno' on Amazon.

Or to contact him, search for him on Twitter at @petalengro.