I live in Wales with my wife – plus a cat, a dog, and several coffee mugs - and have recently published Seven Short Stories. I have two other books, a novel The Gentle River – and a smaller book Upriver. The novel began long ago as an idea, but waited until my 'retirement' to be drawn together and written – many years of notes, ideas and biding of my time, then three enjoyable years of writing, followed by one less enjoyable year of editing!
From first stirrings of wanting to write at around fifteen I spent my life doing other things, from my trade as a carpenter & joiner, from engineering to farming to scale models, looking forward to the freedom to write full-time. When that time came, The Gentle River evolved from the original idea of two families, one upriver from the other, and the problems that arise from one person falling for someone they shouldn't; this common scenario developed into something much wider, drawing upon my lifelong interest in the workings of the Port of Bristol, and close knowledge of the Wye Valley. It's a bonus that we live in that lovely Valley, on the border with England, near to the setting of the story.
Upriver is perhaps best described as 'A Companion to the Novel'. It's a novella-length first-person account which expands upon the historical events and characters of The Gentle River - it's the 'History' that is written by my main character Alice Rossetti's grandfather, and the writing of it is an important thread in the novel. Upriver can however be read on its own, quite apart from its connection to the novel.
There's more of the novel in my head, but not quite sure where, so it's likely that more short stories will appear before a sequel does!
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