What’s Next?!

The picture above was taken on the Wirral a few days before my father died; somehow, it seemed to suggest possibilities and new beginnings even when death was overbearingly imminent.

Much of my writing has been autobiographical, but with Final Approach having been out a year in November, what’s next for my writing? Purists say if you want to be a successful writer, you should single-mindedly stick to one ‘genre’. I’ve thought about that, and decided – sod it. I don’t want to be limited in that way. What’s success anyway? At my time in life I’ll write what I want and have fun with it.

What does that mean in practical terms? I have two novels in progress, first draft done on one and ten chapters into the other. I’ve got some ideas for other full-length works of non-fiction. I might even do a third Brian the Bear book, if Alice will do the illustrations! I think though that the most likely choice for next intended publication is a short story collection, working title The Lost Shore. I’ve had a few of these appear in various publications, and I can see a binding theme there. Some pics from Alice wouldn’t go amiss here either!

In the meantime, I have an imminent library talk on Final Approach and I’m airing a brand new memoir short next month just before I appear at South Hams Lit Fest wearing several different literary hats. Variety is the spice of life! Overall, I just feel what a pleasure and a privilege it is to be doing all this now.

---