I spent 15 years as a pharmacist before moving into clinical research and fiction writing. I am currently working on my first young adult fantasy series, which will run five volumes, the first two of which have been self-published. I also plan additional novels - fantasy, mystery, possibly time travel, and a post-apocalyptic thriller. Influences include: Lloyd Alexander, Norman Juster, Anne McCaffrey, Isaac Asimov, Katherine Kurtz, John Dickson Carr, John Milton, Wilkie Collins, Edgar Allen Poe, and many more besides! The best young adult book I've read lately is "Speak" - highly, highly recommended. And Eva Ibbotson, Carl Hiaasen, Andrew Clements, Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett.