The Thatcham Era?

THE THATCHAM ERA



I am now based in Thatcham, three miles from Newbury, on the A4 towards Reading.

So why "Era"?

I've been writing now, almost full-time, since 1992. I say "almost" because I was a house-husband, too, and did a bit of computer consultancy here and there.

I have been trying to write for more than 45 years. 1992 was year 23. I began hopelessly, unsure of myself, a terrible over-writer, trying my hand at SF, while at the same time vaguely wanting to be a British Updike, but when I finally broke out it was with five "Caz Flood" crime novels, even though writing crime wasn't what I instinctively wanted to write.

In November 1990 I go together with D, we had two kids, but in August 2013, D and I divorced. This last year-and-a-bit has been difficult, including living at four different addresses and struggling to (a) maintain my own writing, and (b) keep Boot Camp ticking over.

In this difficult time, the publications dried up somewhat but I managed one first, a second and two third prizes. I'm not dead yet.

Four moves in 13 months is not there best base for writing, but I think, finally, I have found a secure base and yesterday I got my dogs back!

I suspect it will take a month or two before my writing self will re-achieve consistency, but this is a new time for me (and for Boot Camp), ad "era" feels like the right word.


Watch this Space!