Seriously though, the mind is a powerful instrument and there is often a fine line between rational and irrational. Growing up in Scotland, alcohol was a big part of life, and this at times had a strange affect on folks you'd least expect. It made me wonder what really goes on in people's heads during times when they are in control. My work is heavily influenced by my fellow Scot, Irvine Welsh. It can be edgy and littered with profanity, but who are we kidding; real life is the same and I tell it as I see it. I have two projects in the works right now and my first book, "Memoirs of the Messed Up Minds" was published in March 2007. Here is a brief synopsis: Edgy, dark, and laced with comedy, this collection of short stories examines the psychological effects the mind can have on a person's life. In "Come Fly With Me," Calum turns to alcohol after his marriage fails. His only avenue of escape comes from a realistic recurring dream that he can fly-one that only occurs after he's been drinking. It has a rejuvenating effect on his fragile state of mind, and he can't wait to hit the bottle again and again. "The Crap Shoot" follows Danny, a struggling writer who discovers that life in the public bathroom of the local park is not what it seems. It's a dark and seedy world of drug dealing, prostitution, and homosexual activity. Going undercover as a homeless man, he vows to write a bestselling story to help launch his struggling career by exposing the appalling activities occurring right under the noses of the local residents. Badly disfigured in a fire accident, arrogant executive Alexander McKenzie has to take stock of his life in "Burning With Silence." With his paranoia and anger about to explode, he takes a different job where he is unknown and pretends to be deaf in order to hear what people say about him.