If in my early years the Fairy Godmother had descended upon me from the clouds and declared that I could choose between two wishes – to be an acclaimed musician or an award-winning writer – and she would deliver the wish with a wave of her wand, I think it would have been the former option that I’d have gone for. Much as I loved reading fiction and conjuring up stories in my pre-teens, it was Rock ‘n’ Roll that really grabbed me. Especially tenor sax solos. Thus it was that, in my twenties, I acquired an alto sax – it being cheaper than a tenor. Despite a flurry of jamming with other musicians a permanent band never materialised. The alto got parked for many a year before reappearing in the late 1990s when I joined a group, the alto now alternating with a tenor, and we actually appeared at some gigs! Sadly the group broke up; the saxophones were tucked into some dark corners of the house; and I finally realised that I wasn’t destined to be the next great sax sensation!
Writing, however, was always hovering in the wings, occasionally taking centre stage, and I wrote my first novel in the mid 1970s – a Superman send-up, never published – which probably needs a complete re-write. (Maybe one day). The books showcased in this web site are more recent creations. Given my reminiscences above you’ll not be surprised to know that music often features in my writing. The heroic character in “Misplaced in Emford” and the cast in “The End of the Pantomime Horse” can all turn out a good tune! And music is of fundamental importance to the story in “Out Of Time”.
Oh yes, and while all the writing and playing were fluctuating across the years, I worked as an organisation and methods/business analyst, mostly in the electricity supply and financial services sectors. Hmm, I wonder if there is a novel about those industries waiting to be clicked out by my fingers. Who knows?