At some point in my teenage years I discovered that you could create things like songs, poems, pictures, stories, and novels. I have never found it necessary to seek an audience in order to enjoy the process of setting my mind free and producing something completely original.
I was born in the hinterland between South East London and North Kent, never feeling I belonged to either location. After attending Grammar School, I went on to study for a degree at the University of the Arts London. My first salaried job was with a large publisher. It was not a perfect fit for me, not enough to do. I like to be continuously employed. Later in life I was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, but I prefer to see it not as a disorder, simply a different way of ordering.
After two years I left that publisher and, with a friend, founded an advertising agency in the West Country. This survived and grew for a few years, at which point I ran away again, to pursue a more varied career as a freelance creative.
Since then I have been commissioned by publishers and book packagers to design book jackets, layouts for books on cars, photography, and also many unusual or humorous subjects; How to do Sex Properly, Royal Knits, DIY Brain Surgery, The Frankenstein Diaries to name a few. Non-publishing clients have included engineering companies, manufacturers, the tourism industry, theatre companies, festivals, the NHS, Jaguar Cars and regional museums.
Much of my work has included writing copy. For several books I have also been employed as editor, caption writer or content advisor.
Interspersed in this work I have lectured in design communication, drawn humorous postcards, worked in youth theatre, run storytelling groups in schools, drawn, painted and written poems, short stories and novels.
Amidst all this I even managed to marry, remain married (possibly a greater achievement), raise two children, two cats, several fish and pursue a few hobbies and sports.
This is the first time I have had to write a biography, cv or even any self promotional bumph – it’s a strange thing to do.