I’ve spent most of my working life teaching adults and managing education projects, and can safely say that teaching is a lot more fun than management. As well as English, Maths and Creative Writing, I’ve devised and taught courses for community groups, both online and in traditional classes. Before entering adult learning I worked in the travel trade, the printing industry and as a care assistant in a residential home.

My career in writing, on the other hand, has been less productive than I hoped. I’m currently working on  my first novel, which I hope will form part of a trilogy, and a diverse collection of short stories. In between working and writing, I’ve acquired a B.A. in English Literature, an M.A. in Creative Writing and a postgraduate teaching qualification. This is not the best way to promote my work, but I received higher grades on the M.A. course for my comments on other students’ work than for my own writing. I hope this means I’m a really good critic, rather than a pretty poor writer.

My main form of relaxation is running, which combines fresh air and rhythmic activity with a mild degree of masochism. I’m also a self-taught tenor saxophone player, known more for enthusiasm than technical ability, and have played in various pub bands for a number of years. Fun fact – I financed both my M.A. and the cost of publishing my work by various forms of gambling.