about me

I was born in the shade of 'The Mountain of Tears', in a small village called Rhydymwyn, set in the Clwydian Mountains of North Wales, but I am now settled in The Midlands/Rugby area of England.

At school I was always good at anything creative; my passions were Art and English Literature (mainly poetry). I maintain I was slightly ‘lesdixic’ (dyslexic); my passion for the written word being one of many ironies in my life.

In my 'Day Job' I work in predominantly urban, inner city areas and my working life experience involves the more tragic and poignant elements of society, which I draw on heavily in my writing. (Life is a tragedy; it doesn't end well???)

I have also freelanced as a photographer and illustration artist. Working mainly in watercolours, I have illustrated various books and magazines; mainly ‘the penny dreadfuls’, ‘their eyes met across a drunken bar/pub’ etc. For some years I worked through an agent but have, in more recent times, concentrated on natural history and landscape painting, receiving some acclaim selling my work through local galleries.

I have always conveyed my thoughts and experiences through my writing; mainly poetry and fiction, having had a few articles and poems published in work related magazines and local rags. Concentrating on fiction, I have completed two manuscripts, with several other ideas and plots at various stages of completion.

I hope that joining Authonomy will increase my reading circle and give me the necessary tools to maybe get published.

My life seems to be full, with living and developing my passion for painting, photography and writing; in-between walking and climbing mountains of course.

Both my books below are complete works; I have edited and re-edited. They have been edited by others and read by a very diverse circle of readers. I have refined them, until what remains is as close to a finished article as I can get. I would say both are over 90% there.

My first book; 'Above the Italian Woods' is a slow burning, one summer, romantic coming of age, work of fiction, which deals with young dreams or more tangentially, the loss of dreams.

My second book; 'The Phantom of Annwn' from 'The Last Celt' triogy, is a work of historical fiction/ true fantasy and follows a young boys tragic life as he sets off to seek revenge for the savage murder of his parents. It traces Hyw's (Hugh) pain as he journeys through the brutal and lawless land the Romans left behind when they abandoned Briton. For anyone wanting to dip into the book, I would recommend chapters one, five and fifteen (Fifteen is a must unless you intend reading the whole book)

I hope you enjoy reading my manuscripts as much as I have enjoyed writing them.

favourite books

To Kill a Mocking Bird, Under Milk Wood, Tess, Birdsong, Bridges of Madison County, The Mabinogion, The Mersey Sound, Dylan Thomas, Ambrose, Jaws (It's a long story) The Hobbit, The Lord Of The Rings, How Green Was My Valley, The Once and Future King, The Last Kingdom, Excalibur.

my websites

http://www.dreamstime.com (Photo website under the