I was born in Penzance in 1945, and spent my early years living in Marazion, with Mounts Bay and St Michaels Mount outside my windows. A lucky boy.
I was educated in Penzance and Truro, and soon developed a love for writing and the theatre. I therefore went to the Central School of Speech & Drama, followed by a year in repertory. However, put off by the indoor life-style and the permanently desperate job prospects of an actor, I soon returned to writing. Like most writers I have made my living at a large variety of jobs while waiting for my boat to come in. These have included running a record shop, milking cows, selling houses, cleaning out animals in a zoo, selling china and glass, building, delivery driving, teaching, freelance editing and nearly 24 hours in tele-sales. I am currently a partner in a small letting agency and I now actually own a boat, although it still displays a reluctance to come in.
I have lived for many years in a coastal farmhouse with my wife, and two children (when they turn up for some r & r). In my spare time I have been deputy director of a children's theatre group, school governor, lifeboat press officer, trustee of Penzance's Acorn Theatre and Golowan Festival, musician, performer, and sports fan.
In 2005 I published two new books (see books section), appeared on the silver screen of my local cinema in the community film "Inspector Gwavas", and had the honour of being elected as a Bard of the Cornish Gorsedd with the name 'carer geryow', which means 'lover of words'.
In 2006 the BBC made a full-length documentary, "The Cruel Sea" to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Penlee Lifeboat diasater in which I appeared. There was much other press to do also as Penlee Press Officer, including all the local radio, tv, nationwide local radio networks and BBC's "Country File"
In 2007 I accepted the chairmanship of the Golowan Festival, whose organising body had been dissolved. We undertook to deliver the festival at six months' notice, and thanks to the hard work of very many people and some luck with the summer of 2007, we succeeded in doing so. Immediately afterwards my first novel and seventh published book "True Colours" was published by Truran. This was awarded in 2008 the Holyer an Gof Prize for "Best Cornish Novel of the Year"
In prospect is a short biographyof singer Brenda Wootton and a history of Penryn's former medieval monastery, Glasney College. I was asked to deliver the inaugral lecture in 2007's Gorsedd in Penzance, on the subject of the voyage of the "Rosebud" (see books).
In 2008 I once again chaired the Golowan Festival, and early in 2009 I was appointed as its official Director. Sadly my West Briton column "Sidetracks" was part of a credit-crunch cull of freelancers and bit the dust - I miss writing it very much.
Any work relating to words is of interest to me, from articles to features to books to personal appearances.Don't hesitate to make contact.