Thirty years ago I cut my teeth in writing fiction and enjoyed both sci-fi and historical fiction. A strange combination right? I agree. As time went on I found myself drawn away from fiction and spent many years working on factual matters related to travel and business. It kept me very busy and I enjoyed the research and the writing. But in recent years, I’ve slowed down on the steady work of “fact” and slowly returned to my first love: fiction.

I must confess that I have a certain devilish very dry sense of humor. This manifests itself in my books. I don’t strive to write comedy — far from it — but if you’re seeking something absolutely dry and heavy on science then you’re looking in the wrong place. If you’re looking for something with an actual scientific basis, careful research and just a dash of dry humor then I may be your man.

I’m interested in concepts but fundamentally I am far more interested in people. If a volcano erupts, that is interesting. But I’m more interested in how people react to it. I’m fortunate in that I have travelled the world and seen the proverbial good, bad and ugly. That is what drives my stories.

Describe yourself in five words

Tall, funny, eccentric, irreverent, nutty

What fact about yourself would really surprise people? 

I am a licensed soccer coach and referee

How do you work through self-doubts and fear? 

Meditation, long walks, going to the gym

What scares you the most? 

Spiders

What makes you happiest? 

Spending fun times with friends and family

Why do you write? 

Fiction that draws heavily one people and places I have experienced

Have you always enjoyed writing? 

Always, since I was a very young kid I’ve had an active imagination

What motivates you to write? 

The idea of escaping from the monotony of life.

What writing are you most proud of? .

I have made a lot of money with finance publications but I much more enjoy writing fiction and that’s the work I am proud of.

What are you most proud of in your personal life? 

My daughter

What books did you love growing up? 

Science fiction books, and Charles Dickens classics.

What do you hope your obituary will say about you? 

We made a mistake, he’s actually just sleeping

Location and life experiences can really influence writing, tell us where you grew up and where you now live? 

I grew up in London, but I live in Texas now. Same language but different worlds in so many ways.

Is your family supportive? Do your friends support you? 

Mostly they are supportive but you always get that one cantankerous “friendly” reviewer.

If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be? 

In a Bure in Tahiti

Tell us about your new book? Why did you write it?  

It’s been in the works for many years and I started it, stopped it, changed it over and over again while I finished many other projects. I finally got to the point in my life where I felt I could relate to each of the evolving characters and satisfactorily bring this book to a conclusion.

If you could have a dinner party and invite anyone dead or alive, who would you ask? 

Charles Dickens, maybe someone like Stalin just to beat the crap out of him.

What do you hope people will take away from your writing? How will your words make them feel?

Hopefully it’s real enough to connect with but unpredictable enough to offer them some joy.