This book was written as a tribute to Richard John Quinn - a New Zealander who began posting on a YouTube video comment page that featured Susan Boyle and her audition for the 'Britain's Got Talent' TV show. The programme was taped in January 2009 and broadcast in April of the same year.

Within a very short periood of time, this video became the most watched in YouTube history and the comment page(s) became a chatroom.

Under the username 'thefloggingparson' (taken from one of his books "Samuel Marsden, Altar-Ego"), author Richard became a stalwart on the site - bringing his gifts of humour, compassion, pathos, and love of literature with him.

People from all around the world began to sign in to those YouTube pages just to be part of what Richard helped create - a virtual 'pub'; a meeting place in which hundreds gathered to leave not only comments on the actual video, but to participate in the conversations Richard had with other regulars. Many of those who didn't participate stayed to watch - even by their own admission setting their alarm clocks so that the could be online when Richard 'signed in' to the Pub.

It soon became clear that Richard was seriously ill - as we later discovered, he had terminal cancer - and as the weeks passed, Richard's visits became more infrequent.

His last post on the site was made just three days before his death on September 11, 2009, and this book - dedicated to his short online life - attempts to show just why he meant so much to us all and why he is so missed.

The book will be presented to Richard's widow and family as a token of our affection for him.