We all have a book in us somewhere.  I’ve written several. A couple made it to the shelves and could even be considered ‘best -sellers.’  However, an undergrad textbook is for a captured audience.  Writing a novel that engages the reader, well that is something entirely different. In fact, engaging my family to read this would be a good start.  But alas, two out of three ain’t bad…

I began writing as a teenager. I spent hour upon hour within my room composing short stories and novels through a variety of genres.  They were dreadful.  At sixteen, I received my first rejection slip that I retain to this day. I was so very, very proud.  However, common sense prevailed and I waved goodbye to my dreams of a journalistic career to study the sciences at two university institutions and finally began work in our National Health Service.

During the next quarter-century, I found myself naturally veering off course away from full-time clinical work towards academic teaching, finally returning full circle to carve a niche as an author, editor and presenter, albeit within my chosen profession.  I even managed a PhD (whew!).  I currently live in rural England, accompanied by one dog, a bookworm, a jazz drummer, an ageing athlete and two cats. We don’t do goldfish. We killed the last one.

So, the book. Another fantasy.. not more goblins, surely?

It is a simple tale (I think the best usually are).  Is it truly ‘different?’  Well, in part, probably not.  But that’s fine with me.  After all, did the Ancient Greeks not inspire the Romans?  And yet, their mythologies, Gods and legends, similar as they may be, are both equally as engaging.  A poor comparison with my literary universe perhaps, but I have aspirations.  In my story boy already knows girl, throw in a split in the world, add in a few magical books and stones, a visually impaired dragon (now that surely must be new), several sword fights, a long lost city (there’s always one of those) and several grumpy pirates and there you have it. It’s an adventure. One dragon doesn’t make it a fantasy. There are no goblins.  I don’t do those.

Imagination is everything… and I have an abundance of that.
With pending gratitude, or something similar…

JPM