Born at the height of the depression, I grew up in wartime and have been influenced ever since by those two basic factors. At 18 I ran away to join the Royal Canadian Air Force, the first thing I ever did that my parents approved of. Fifteen years later I resigned my commission to study veterinary medicine, and have practised as a small animal vet since graduation. A wonderful way to live. Writing is my 'other life', my escape, if you like, to harsher worlds than my own. Much of my interest has been to take a closer look at the Second World War in the disguise of characters working through it. This has led to a larger interest in the First World War. And other stuff not involving war at all. My second published novel is "The English General", available now through Amazon, self-published through iUniverse. It was a good publishing experience. My first published novel was "Steelwalker" published in the '60's by Doubleday. It was not a good experience. It virtually disappeared within a year of publication, with no help from the publisher in merchandising. A year later they didn't know me. This is often the way it goes for the unfortunate novelist, who is at the mercy of The Industry.