Originally I'm a Yorkshire boy (as of 1976 when I was born) but have lived in Lancashire since I was four. Specifically my parents moved to Morecambe, the seaside and to this day I still love looking at the sea. It's something you'll either 'get' or you won't. But when the wife and I bought our first house together, condition number one was it had to be near the sea. We were lucky enough to pick one with a view right across Morecambe Bay.

Amongst my various qualifications that I have yet to put to use is an MA in Creative Writing from Manchester Metropolitan University. I'd thoroughly recommend the course to anyone interested in writing as it's great to be around like minded folk. I also have a BA (Hons) in English and Urban Policy and a Post Grad Diploma in Management which the NHS (my employer) very kindly paid for.

My favourite author is Stephen King and I maintain that when he's on form he's as good as anyone has ever been. Unfortunately, in my opinion, he is often sold short as merely a writer of horror stories. Still, he's hardly struggling for readers. My favourite book is Catcher in the Rye although it's not everyone's idea of fun.

I'm also an armchair sportsfan. For football, it's Liverpool. Golf, Tiger Woods. He'll come good. Tennis, Federer, by a distance the best player I've ever seen and I was a big Sampras fan.

Most nights I also enjoy an ale. And a gin - specifically Hendricks, there's none finer. I like Port too, but I'm less fussy about the brand.

My first novel was Playground Cool, written as part of my MA. It passed with flying colours, I got an agent from my very first letter and then...rejection letters from publishers. I've been close to publication with Transword since with another novel but still the book deal eludes me.

I remain undeterred and still write all the time. Plus, the advent of the e-reader has made it possible for anyone to publish so who knows...