Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I was born in Scotland but grew up in Bath in the south-west of England. For twenty years I was director of English language teaching at the University of Westminster in London. I have written seven grammar books, most of them for Oxford University Press. The Story of the Cloth is my first novel.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My novel, The Story of the Cloth, was inspired by a visit to Cordoba in Spain, where I learnt about the Islamic occupation of the country. It is likely that for a brief period, a golden age, people of the Islamic, Jewish and Christian faiths lived harmoniously together. The ‘cloth’ in my novel is a relic from that period.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I shout for joy when I write something that seems to that capture in prose the view from my mind’s eye.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
So many, but a book and a film provided the emotional inspiration for my novel: ‘Lost Horizon’ by James Hilton and ‘A Matter of Life and Death’ by directors Powell and Pressburger.
What are you working on now?
A novel featuring a retired astrophysicist.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My own website.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write! Keep writing!
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Trust your own instincts.
What are you reading now?
‘The Axe Woman’ by Hakan Nesser, translated by Sarah Death.
What’s next for you as a writer?
More novels.
What is your favorite book of all time?
‘Tales of Sevastopol’ by Leo Tolstoy. No translator is credited in my edition.
Author Websites and Profiles
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