About the Author

I have always enjoyed writing. On a family holiday to Holland aged 6, I wrote a daily diary, and on our return put it together as a ‘soon to be published book’. Although I lacked the discipline to keep a proper diary (I still do), I did like to write things down when I was unhappy about something, as a way of getting my head around it; there were definitely many mini-books about boys during my tormented teenage years!

During my first stint in Prague, when I was hanging out with the very few British expats (all crazy young guys), I started what I called a ‘news-sheet’ called ‘This is where you heard it first’. It was a kind of humorous gossip column that talked about the antics of the boys the previous night, and was loved by all of them – to the extent that it probably encouraged them to behave even worse each evening than they would have done in the first place. I eventually gave up on it, but not before one of the local English-language newspapers used some of the material for their own ‘gossip column’ each week.

Once my PR agency got going, I no longer had time for writing for pleasure. However, my writing ability in English was soon much in demand; first for those companies that wanted to produce brochures in both Czech and English, then for those that had to produce annual reports. At one time, I was writing four of the annual reports required of the then seven companies that were listed on the Czech stock exchange; and then, of course, websites.  Writing press releases turned into a daily activity – yes, they had to be in Czech, but the starting point for most of our clients was English. So I would write the initial PR, the client would go through it and amend it as they wanted it, and then it would be translated and sent out. My record for one day was, I think, 26 different press releases.

But then Covid came. My businesses collapsed, and for about a year we hid away in Spain, where we spent the first 100 days in Spanish lockdown. With nothing much to keep us occupied since we were not even allowed outside our house other than to visit the supermarket, one person at a time, I took to writing a daily blog. At first, I posted it only to friends and family, then later to wider social media. Such was its popularity these blogs were eventually turned into my first proper published book, called, unsurprisingly, ‘Diary of a Lockdown’ – 100 days in Spain'.

This book brought me to the attention of an editor who found the book online and contacted me. She suggested re-writing the book and, with her help, making it into a novel. Initially the idea appealed, but by that time we were all sick of Covid, and I decided to let it go. She was disappointed, but when she asked if I had any other ideas for a book, I remembered that I had always wanted to write about those early, crazy days in Prague. And that, without really meaning to, prompted 'The Charge of the Brit Brigade'.

My latest book, 'Look Out, Here Comes the Fat Girl!' is also based on personal experience, and as you'll see, it's relevant to a much wider audience. I hope you'll enjoy reading it, and pass it on to others who might also do so.