I’m now a full-time author…

After eighteen years as a meter reader (gas and electric) for Accuread, G4S, and Morrison Data Services, I decided it was time to give it up and put all of my efforts into writing. This was an extremely hard decision because, surprising as it might seem, reading meters was an enjoyable job, at least for the first fifteen years or so and then, as all jobs do, it felt like things were getting worse and I wasn’t looking forward to it anymore. It’s a situation probably most of you have been in, and it’s always hard to give something up after so long, especially when it provides a steady wage, but the time seemed right.

No more black meter reader uniform, but perhaps more time to write music for book trailers…? Photo by my daughter.

I first published Wolf’s Head nine years ago, in 2013, and, ever since, my books have continued to sell steadily so I thought I should take this opportunity to live the dream, as it were, and become a full-time writer. I’ll be able to, hopefully, publish more books and concentrate more on marketing and trying to actually “grow my brand”.

Milngavie

I’ll miss meeting colourful characters, driving around Glasgow and the towns and villages that surround it. Not everywhere was beautiful, but many places were (all the photos here were taken by me when I was at work over the years). I always looked forward to reading meters in the likes of Milngavie, Balloch, Strathblane, and, of course, Bearsden. That’s where I was working the day in 2009 when I decided I wanted to try and write a historical novel but I had no idea what, or who, it should be about. The very next electric meter I went to read was in a house named, guess what? “Sherwood”! Well, I just had to write about Robin Hood after that sign from the gods, and it certainly worked out well for me.

The very street in Bearsden I was working in when I decided to try writing a novel back in 2009 (the photo is from 2016). The Erskine street I was working in ten years later in 2019 (I think) when almost the entire plot for Lucia just popped into my head!

So, hopefully this is the start of a very exciting and rewarding new chapter in my life. If you enjoy my books it should mean you get more of them than ever before! Book 5 in my Warrior Druid of Britain Chronicles has a title and is half finished so look out for that being published this summer. And after that, well, I’m planning on branching out into a brand new series, and a new historical era, although the Druid novels will continue too. Like I say, this should be an exciting time and I hope you’ll all stick with me to see where my writing will go next!

I stopped to take this photo after a jaunt to read a handful of meters in Rowardennan.

Thank you to every one of you who has bought, read, and reviewed my books – none of this would be possible without your support and I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it.

Now, I might have quit my job, but the hard work never ends.

Onwards…

High rise flats being torn down in Drumchapel. I remember trying to read a load of meters in those one day, and NOT A SINGLE PERSON answered the door to me! Flats in Bellsmyre (not Soviet Russia). These have all been demolished since I took the photo. A row of standing stones I noticed in a field when I was installing data loggers (similar to smart meters) down in Dalmellington in 2015. You can read more about the stones by clicking the photo. The day I took a quick break from reading meters to pop into the local radio station to record an interview about Wolf’s Head.