My Writing Journey: From Childhood Dreams to Published Novels

I was born in 1938, just before the onset of World War II, in the vibrant East End of London. With a sister six years older than me and an imagination that ran wild, I often found myself crafting stories to pass the time. I wasn’t the academic type, but by the age of twelve, the world of books had a firm hold on me. I discovered a love for reading and storytelling that would shape my life forever.

Artistic by nature, I spent my youth drawing and writing stories in an old loose-leaf folder. As a teenager, I dove into the world of model railways and model engineering, which led me to write articles for the model railway press. After art school, I found myself working as a commercial artist in London, servicing advertising agencies. But my true passion for writing had begun.

In the 1960s, I started writing my first novel. It wasn’t easy—there were no computers back then, so I wrote it in an old ledger, by hand. The story took shape, but life happened—career, family, and four children took priority—and my manuscript was forgotten.

Rediscovery and Reinvention

Years passed. After my marriage ended, I remarried and moved house. Amidst the chaos of life, I stumbled upon that old ledger, and memories of my first novel came rushing back. By this time, I had acquired a laptop, and with it, I transferred my handwritten story to the computer. It was like opening a floodgate of ideas, and I began writing for the sheer joy of it.

One of my early stories centered on a bowls club about to lose its lease, with a crooked landlord at the heart of the drama. Eager for feedback, I sent it to one of my sons, living in Hong Kong. He was too busy to read it, but imagine my surprise when, on my birthday, a courier arrived with two hundred copies of the story! My son had typeset and published the story for me. Unsure of what to do with all these books, he suggested I reach out to a local bookstore. The manager there told me that without publicity, they would sit on the shelf, so I took matters into my own hands. I started leaving copies at the local supermarket’s book swap section, and every time, they were taken—but feedback was hard to come by.

Finally, Getting Published

As I entered my eighties, my wife encouraged me to take the plunge and submit one of my novels to a publisher. To my surprise, it was accepted and published. Since then, seven more of my books have hit the shelves, and I’m currently working on a new children’s story about a sheepdog named Scamp.

For any author, feedback from readers is crucial. It’s the lifeblood of our work, but it’s hard to come by. I have a trusted old work colleague who reads my manuscripts and helps with cover illustrations. His advice is invaluable, though I don’t always follow it—after all, the stories are mine to tell!

Still Full of Ideas

When I write, I can hear the characters speaking in my mind, as if I were sitting right there with them. Despite my age, I still have a wealth of ideas waiting to be written. My only regret is that I didn’t pursue this dream earlier. Time feels limited now, but I am more determined than ever to keep creating and sharing my stories.