About me

I thought about doing a proper biog bit, like the blurb you get in books. The sort of thing where the author boasts of how they got a double first at Cambridge, married well and has two tremendously attractive children and a nice house in Notting Hill.

But I've just gone with a poor quality mugshot and a brief interview with myself. I think it does the trick.

My life & assorted nonsense

Where were you born?
My sister's bed in Shropshire. I must make a mental note to thank her one of these days.

What was your childhood like?
Mixed. Being a pasty-skinned, ginger-haired kid tends to put something of a crimp in your school days. But growing up in small rural villages did have its advantages, not least as the inspiration for some of my writing and the setting of my first novel.

A novel? It's not some thinly-disguised autobiographical toss about being bullied and finding love in a haystack is it?
No.

Okay then, when did you start writing?
I started with poetry as a teenager, but it was so bad it had to be destroyed in a controlled explosion. Then I began writing comedy sketches for the now defunct Radio 4 show Weekending before co-writing a sitcom pilot for the BBC and contributing to a Radio 4 sketch show pilot. Unfortunately neither were turned into a series.

Don't stop now, I'm fascinated. No really I am. Honest.
After a hiatus for a few years, I started writing short stories. My first was published on East of the Web, an excellent short story website. The second won £500 in a writing competition sponsored by Orange. The third was rejected, soon to be followed by the fourth, but I kept going and have listed a selection of my writing credits elsewhere on the site.

Thanks for sharing. Having you done anything remotely interesting?
You're really quite rude aren't you?

Sure, but I'm asking the questions, so crack on.
A couple of years ago, my very supportive and indulgent wife and I ditched our jobs, left our house with some tenants who promised they weren't arsonists and travelled the world for a year.

Please don't tell me you wrote about your travel experiences when you returned.
I wrote about our travel experiences when we returned. Some articles were published online and in magazines.

And what is your current writing project?
I've recently finished the novel I mentioned earlier and I'm doing research for the next one. Plus more short stories.

Do you do anything else apart from placing words on pages?
I play football and the guitar, though rarely all at the same time.

Quote:

"Writing is the only profession where no-one considers you ridiculous if you earn no money." Jules Renard