Born in June 1952 in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, in the north of England, I
grew up in nearby Sharlston, then a mining village, and Crofton.
Over the years I have lived and worked in Europe, Africa, Asia and the
Middle East, experience that has engendered my interest in the relationship
between culture, identity and social change, themes that now underpin my
writing.
After graduating from Imperial College in Chemical Engineering, I decided to
devote my working life to the education of others. I obtained a PGCE from
King's College and then took up my first teaching assignment through VSO as
teacher of mathematics, then headmaster of a harambee community school in
Kenya. That provided much of the material for my two African novels, Mission
and A Fool’s Knot.
Following 16 years in London schools and colleges, I completed a Master’s
Degree in Education and then took a post in technical education in Brunei,
South-East Asia. After six years there I worked in the Middle East as a
head of department in Zayed University, a university for women, in Abu
Dhabi.
Since moving to Spain in 2003, I have completed my PhD with the Open
University in the contribution of education to personal and economic
development in the Philippines, and published two novels, Mission and A
Fool’s Knot. I have also completed a set of short stories, Voyagers, loosely
based on the experience of travel.
In mid-2009 I collaborated with the sporting legend Martin Offiah to produce
a book celebrating the skills and thrills of rugby league. Martin Offiah's
50 Of The Best was published in October 2009.
During my years in London I devoted much of my spare time to assisting my
wife's work with an NGO concerned with development and human rights in what
used to be known as the Third World.
We currently live in La Nucia, just 5 kilometres from Benidorm on the Costa
Blanca. Take a
look!
