Being the descendent of a famous poet has its drawbacks – the greatest of which, I believe, is the inhibiting impact it has on one’s own urges to put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard). Nevertheless, I have written poems over the years and am confident there are a number of essays or short stories inside waiting to come out.

I find writing comes easily… actually words come easily (a point often made by those I teach) but exactly what form the writing should eluded me for quite a while.

The brief biography of my father (written in the aftermath of his murder in 2005) sat on a shelf for many years gathering dust. Did I write it for his grandchildren (the stated aim), or for me (as a form of therapy), or for a wider audience? And if the latter, what audience? Is it a potential radio play? A dramatic monologue? A prose poem? A novella?

Then one day, as I was transferring things to a new laptop I found myself astonished at how much writing I had actually done over the years so in a slightly mad moment I pulled some if it together and had it printed as a book I could share with family, friends and colleagues under the title REVEALING & CONCEALING (see home page for more information).