1. What is your writing process like?
I pick up my pen, figuratively, and start 'writing'. Either the ideas flow or, just occasionally, they do not. Typically, I am sat in an armchair with a laptop on my knee. I occasionally need to be available to assist my disabled wife, Pat, when she requires my help. Ambient noise like the TV or background music does not disturb the process, in fact, I like it. Usually, the words flow almost unbidden, and I have difficulty keeping up with them. The biggest problem I have is probably age-related: I keep forgetting names, even the names of the characters I have created. So, I need my notes close by.
2. How do you come up with ideas for stories and characters?
Ideas abound in the ether. It is just a case of clearing my mind and allowing them to circulate in the old grey cells. The characters who come to life usually have some similarity to someone I have known or crossed paths with or are aspirations that I wish were me.
3. What do the words “writer’s block” mean to you?
There are rare instances when the brick wall appears from nowhere and further progress is halted. Then there is no option but to put down the 'pen' and to turn to either painting fantasy scenes on China or playing my Hammond organ. I can only manage the latter for about thirty minutes, maximum. I used to play around one hour every day but lately, it has become less frequent and like a guitar player, if you don't use your fingers the pads soften, and long sessions on the organ can be painful (hopefully not to the ears).
4. How do you process and deal with negative book reviews?
The one or two critical reviews I have received, are disappointing but do not overwrite the many more positives that come my way. And each person is different and sees life differently, entitled to their opinions. So negative reviews do not hit me too hard.
5. What is the most challenging part of your writing process?
I am most challenged by the differences in spelling and grammatical English between the USA and the UK.
6. How long have you been writing, or when did you start?
I wrote my first story before I was ten years of age and was berated by my teacher. It was supposed to be a holiday account but I had never been on holiday, so I fantasised about travelling to Australia on a ship carrying livestock. The first story I told after that was almost 40 years later on seaside holiday in Great Yarmouth (East coast of England). My then four- or five-year-old son was playing on the beach with a group of four or five children when they sought shelter from a heavy shower in the confines of our beach tent. My wife pleaded for me to quieten their boisterous play by telling them a story, or something. And in that instant the red haired, bullied, alien orphan was born. Jimmy Crikey overcame the bullies, befriended witches, saved the little lady marooned at the bottom of the well and became the hero of Roombelow. Jimmy Crikey did not appear in print for almost another thirty years and now forty years later I have completed the sixth adventure in Jimmy's series of stories. In the interval between the fifth and sixth stories, I have completed a memoir/autobiographical account of starting life as an impoverished urchin and ending my working life as an Export Sales Manager.
7. What advice would you give writers working on their first book?
I am not qualified to give advice but for what it's worth: take note of what others are writing in your genre but be yourself and stay true to your ideals. Don't expect to get everything right at the first attempt. Prepare yourself for the rewrites and get advice from a professional editor who specialises in your genre - not your best friend. Afford the expense because it will pay dividends.
8. How many books have you written, and which is your favorite?
I have written ten books, the majority of which are MG/YA fantasy. I have derived great satisfaction from each one but if I must choose a favourite it would be my first: The Amazing Adventures of Jimmy Crikey.
My eleventh story will be completed early '25 and is about a man recovering from a stroke who develops extra talents.
9. What inspired the idea for your book?
If we were talking about Jimmy Crikey, that story was inspired from watching my son at play with his newfound friends on the beach. One boy, the smallest, had ginger red hair, and he was being bullied by his playmates to come and go and fetch and carry. He was the child who became Jimmy Crikey who overcame every obstacle in his path to becoming the hero Roombelow.
10. If you could spend a day with another popular author, whom would you choose?
The much-maligned Enid Blyton was the favourite of my sons which I read at bedtime story times. They and I both loved her style and simplicity of writing. I would love to emulate her and discover her secrets.
11. When was the last time you Googled yourself and what did you find?
It was so long ago that I googled myself, I can hardly remember what was written there but, I remember being delighted that my name appeared and was categorised as a children's book author.
1. What is your writing process like?
I pick up my pen, figuratively, and start 'writing'. Either the ideas flow or, just occasionally, they do not. Typically, I am sat in an armchair with a laptop on my knee. I occasionally need to be available to assist my disabled wife, Pat, when she requires my help. Ambient noise like the TV or background music does not disturb the process, in fact, I like it. Usually, the words flow almost unbidden, and I have difficulty keeping up with them. The biggest problem I have is probably age-related: I keep forgetting names, even the names of the characters I have created. So, I need my notes close by.
2. How do you come up with ideas for stories and characters?
Ideas abound in the ether. It is just a case of clearing my mind and allowing them to circulate in the old grey cells. The characters who come to life usually have some similarity to someone I have known or crossed paths with or are aspirations that I wish were me.
3. What do the words “writer’s block” mean to you?
There are rare instances when the brick wall appears from nowhere and further progress is halted. Then there is no option but to put down the 'pen' and to turn to either painting fantasy scenes on China or playing my Hammond organ. I can only manage the latter for about thirty minutes, maximum. I used to play around one hour every day but lately, it has become less frequent and like a guitar player, if you don't use your fingers the pads soften, and long sessions on the organ can be painful (hopefully not to the ears).
4. How do you process and deal with negative book reviews?
The one or two critical reviews I have received, are disappointing but do not overwrite the many more positives that come my way. And each person is different and sees life differently, entitled to their opinions. So negative reviews do not hit me too hard.
5. What is the most challenging part of your writing process?
I am most challenged by the differences in spelling and grammatical English between the USA and the UK.
6. How long have you been writing, or when did you start?
I wrote my first story before I was ten years of age and was berated by my teacher. It was supposed to be a holiday account but I had never been on holiday, so I fantasised about travelling to Australia on a ship carrying livestock. The first story I told after that was almost 40 years later on seaside holiday in Great Yarmouth (East coast of England). My then four- or five-year-old son was playing on the beach with a group of four or five children when they sought shelter from a heavy shower in the confines of our beach tent. My wife pleaded for me to quieten their boisterous play by telling them a story, or something. And in that instant the red haired, bullied, alien orphan was born. Jimmy Crikey overcame the bullies, befriended witches, saved the little lady marooned at the bottom of the well and became the hero of Roombelow. Jimmy Crikey did not appear in print for almost another thirty years and now forty years later I have completed the sixth adventure in Jimmy's series of stories. In the interval between the fifth and sixth stories, I have completed a memoir/autobiographical account of starting life as an impoverished urchin and ending my working life as an Export Sales Manager.
7. What advice would you give writers working on their first book?
I am not qualified to give advice but for what it's worth: take note of what others are writing in your genre but be yourself and stay true to your ideals. Don't expect to get everything right at the first attempt. Prepare yourself for the rewrites and get advice from a professional editor who specialises in your genre - not your best friend. Afford the expense because it will pay dividends.
8. How many books have you written, and which is your favorite?
I have written ten books, the majority of which are MG/YA fantasy. I have derived great satisfaction from each one but if I must choose a favourite it would be my first: The Amazing Adventures of Jimmy Crikey.
My eleventh story will be completed early '25 and is about a man recovering from a stroke who develops extra talents.
9. What inspired the idea for your book?
If we were talking about Jimmy Crikey, that story was inspired from watching my son at play with his newfound friends on the beach. One boy, the smallest, had ginger red hair, and he was being bullied by his playmates to come and go and fetch and carry. He was the child who became Jimmy Crikey who overcame every obstacle in his path to becoming the hero Roombelow.
10. If you could spend a day with another popular author, whom would you choose?
The much-maligned Enid Blyton was the favourite of my sons which I read at bedtime story times. They and I both loved her style and simplicity of writing. I would love to emulate her and discover her secrets.
11. When was the last time you Googled yourself and what did you find?
It was so long ago that I googled myself, I can hardly remember what was written there but, I remember being delighted that my name appeared and was categorised as a children's book author.