Where Shall I Begin

Every writer has to begin somewhere. For me, it began with a promise.

In 1980 I met Hilda Smith, an eighty-three-year-old widow who loved telling stories about her life. She longed to live in the Dorset countryside, but never had the opportunity. I promised that, if she could not live there in real life, I would find a home for her in my stories.

My first attempt was dreadful.

‘You’re hopeless at detail,’ Hilda told me, ‘but you’re good at emotion. Get the balance right, and you could become a storyteller.’

Before she died, I had the privilege of baptising her, something I believe meant far more to her than any story I might ever write.

Then life took over. Work, family and career came first, while my notebooks and story ideas waited patiently in a drawer.

When I retired, I found them again.

Hilda was right. A promise to one remarkable lady gradually became a collection of novels, children’s stories, humour, crime and literary fiction. Along the way I learned not only how to write better stories, but how to design them, publish them, and share them with readers.

Looking back, I realise all my books have one thing in common. They celebrate ordinary people who find themselves facing extraordinary circumstances, and remind us that courage, kindness and hope are often found in the most unexpected places.

This website is another step on that journey. It’s where I can share the stories behind the stories, introduce the people who inspired them and, perhaps, help you discover a book that speaks to you.

If you’re wondering where to begin, I can think of no better place than the promise I made to Hilda.