Influenced by everything I read or hear (including other people's conversations) Mostly influenced by the work of Canadian rock band Rush, just listen, that's all I ask, just listen to them. That and Stephen King, Wiliiam Shakespeare, Michael Marshall (Smith), Douglas Adams, Jasper Fforde, Ian Fleming, Arthur C. Clarke, H.G. Wells, Bill Bryson, Stephen Fry...the list goes on and on and on... I'm ex-RAF but it really wasn't me...not really the fighting type! Used to play a lot of American Football, cricket and a bit of athletics hence the bad knees, back and ankles!!!