From an early age education did not agree with me. I was expelled from primary school, and left secondary school aged 15 without qualifications.

After a short stint working as an apprentice electrician in a shipyard, I was told that I was unsuitable for the work, so upon the advice of my girlfriend I secured a position as a junior design draughtsman with an American oil company.

I was 20 years old, we were married and starting a family. It was the coldest winter since 1740 and within 14 months, just before Christmas I was made redundant.

There followed a succession of self-employed jobs, mainly selling, vacuum cleaners door to door,  and Porzelack, the German car polish to the motor trade, two of the most difficult sales pitches going.

Then came my lucky break, a local  manufacturer of equipment for the civil engineering business needed a draughtsman. Within six years I was assistant to the managing director, designing and patenting new designs. When I was told that the company would always be a family concern and I would never be a director, I  left to form Contact Designs, a consultancy for special equipment R&D.

This led to Contact Poweriser Ltd. and Contact Attachments Ltd. both of which I co-founded and was product development and marketing director of.

During the 10 years spent with these companies, my inventions were shown at many international machinery exhibitions, where they were purchased by companies such as Cadbury and Tate & Lyle.

I was also invited to join the British Automation and Robot Association, and became the MD. of AcRobot Ltd.

There followed a sabbatical after a family tragedy, leading to a change of direction.

Stories of Benjamin was my debut novel, written for my daughter to read to her step sister. Unsatisfied with a mainstream publisher’s offer, I obtained an order from W H Smith, formed Spellbound Books Ltd, and published it.

For 7 years after my father died, I cared for my disabled mother whilst writing poetry, short stories, and becoming a victim support volunteer.  I then raised money for the Merlin Project by driving in the Plymouth Dakar Rally.

While living in Poland, I formed Emptymonkey.com. a forum for philosophy and arts, and made a short film - ‘Nightwalk’ with music by Radiorobotnik.

There followed a backpacking trip across Canada, the USA, the Baja California desert and finishing up in Cuba and Jamaica where I was invited to Ghost write the memoirs of an international drug smuggler.

In Cuba I started a guest house and car rental company with my 3rd wife which I subsequently left to her and our son.

I now live in Cornwall in the West of England.