I was born in Liverpool and was educated at Queens School, Rheindahlen, Germany; Newman School, Carlisle and Chester College of Further Education; and studied English, History and Philosophy at Manchester University, Swansea University and the Polytechnic of Wales. I have an MA in Intellectual History. After initially leaving school at 15 I worked in Leenane, in the West of Ireland, as a barman; I was also a soldier in the Irish Guards, a tank sealer in Dordrecht, Holland, and sold insurance on Euston Station. I have also worked as a labourer, salesman, groundsman, binman and computer operator. I joined the Civil Service in 1990 and worked as a Trade Marks Examiner at the Patent Office, as a Quality Policy Adviser to Ministers in DTI in London, was appointed Head of International Relations at the Welsh Office in the mid-1990s and was Principal Private Secretary to the Presiding Officer of the National Assembly for Wales from 1999 on. I left the Civil Service in 2004 disenchanted with politicians and have since dedicated myself to writing and the visual arts. The Night Traveller was my first novel and another, A Last Fling, is in progress. I am also currently working on a new novel and putting together an exhibition of my art for later this year. Apart from a lifelong interest in philosophy (especially metaphysics), MG sports cars (I own several, including a 1946 MG TC and a 1958 MGA Roadster), I enjoy rock-climbing (E2), playing golf (occasionally rather well to the extent I consider applying for my tour card until the feeling goes away again!) and enjoy Opera and theatre. I was trained at the Marchesi Singing Academy in my teens in the same stable as international Opera stars Alberto Remedios and Rita Hunter. Now I sing in the bath and when no-one is listening. Or I think they aren't. If you've read my book you'll know that that comes to about the same thing.