BORN IN HELENSBURGH and educated at Glasgow University, Sam studied Zoology, working his way through his uni-years by playing in various rock bands in the UK, America and Holland. He began writing songs in the late 70s, poetry in the early 90s and eventually his first novel -  'The Magic Scales'. A fantasy tale featuring an asthmatic boy, a wizard trapped in the body of a goldfish, and a manic mother with all the social skills of a Dalek, the book is a rollercoaster-ride adventure packed full of strange creatures, epic battles, magic and fun.  - "My son, Ryan, was my main inspiration at the time. His remit was simple; he wanted a fast-paced story with lots of monsters; new ones, and plenty of big battle scenes. I also thought it would be interesting to add a few other issues into the mix, such as dealing with asthma and coping with a crazy family. When I come to think about it, another good reason for putting pen to paper was that I kept forgetting where I'd finished off my goodnight stories. My kids were complaining.  So I got to work and ended up with - The Magic Scales."