What made you want to write the book?

It wasn’t a conscious decision. I didn’t sit down and say ‘Right, I’m going to write a novel.’ It didn’t happen like that. When I was at school I’d always enjoyed writing, but as the years passed the pipe dream of writing a book didn’t come to anything. I’d often thought about it and had a few attempts to string a plot together but hadn’t really known what to write about, hadn’t known where to start, so it just sat there at the back of my mind. Until now.

Where did you find the inspiration for the story?

Again, that happened purely by chance. The teaching staff at Ravensworth did some drama training with a man called Andy Taylor in October 2004. He took us into a story and asked us to delve deeper into the details until we reached a single point in time, and then write what happened next. Well, I did that and came away with something which really piqued my interest. When I went home that evening I sat down at my computer, thinking it might be an idea to work out what had happened prior to that point, and as I worked I found myself developing threads which would take the story beyond the notes of the drama session. By the end of the evening I had three rough chapters.

What is the story based on?

The author Robert Heinlein said ‘Always write what you know,’ so that is exactly what I did. I grew up reading science fiction and fantasy and had a pretty extensive knowledge of that genre. I watched sci-fi on TV and saw all kinds of movies – some good, some terribly bad – which meant I had a wealth of ideas to draw on. It made sense for me to use that as the basis for my writing, but I didn’t want it to be a cheesy, cliché – ridden piece of writing. I wanted it to be believable, so I drew on the scientific side of my interest and pulled in the threads of the possible as well as the fictional. UFOs had always interested me, and the idea of writing an adventure-mystery just seemed to lend itself to that area. So I sat down and played around with a lot of ideas – many of which were scrubbed early on - and here we are. I keep all my notes: I write them down and can dip into them whenever I need to and you’d be amazed at how many ideas get thrown away early on but come back in form or another at a later date. Don’t throw anything away – you never know when you’re going to find a use for it. That’s my advice.

Who did you base your characters on?

None of the characters are based on anyone, really. Some of the names belong to people I know and some of the character traits are from real people, but I can honestly say there’s no-one in there who will people will recognise as themselves. Names are funny things, though, they have to fit the character or they simply don’t work. I flicked through the telephone directory at one point but the names just sort of came into being on their own. Some authors recommend using a book of baby names, others dip into newspapers. Names are all around us, so if you hear one that sounds great, write it down so you don’t forget it.

Where are your scenes set?

Dragons in the Sky is set around the Cleveland hills, which are right on my doorstep, so I felt it was a great place to set my story. Following Robert Heinlein’s advice I dipped into the local history and beauty of the area and visited places I have known all my life. I played on Eston hills as a child – the disused mine working are still there to this day – and spent many a weekend climbing around in the old Brickworks where there was a tarzee (a rope swing), so I have my own childhood experiences to draw on. Stokesley and Great Ayton are beautiful little villages, just as I described. I also have relatives who live in the flats which were once the Friend’s School, and the top floor really is beamed with heavy oak. Roseberry Topping and Captain Cook’s Monument stand proudly watching over us all and I’ve been to the top of Roseberry many times, but I can’t remember the last time I climbed up to Captain Cook’s monument. It’s been a long time.

Why did you call your town ‘The Village’?

I didn’t give it a name because it doesn’t really exist. I know precisely where it is on the map but felt that calling it ‘The Village’ added an air of mystery.

Why did you pick the title Dragons in the Sky?

I chose my title quite early on. I’d been to the library and was engaged in some research about UFO encounters when I came across an article about sightings throughout ancient history. The phrase ‘dragons in the sky’ jumped out and struck me as being a good title, but I had to ensure the reference was clear as some readers didn’t pick up on the relevance during early drafts.

Are any of the characters based on people in your family?

Not directly, but there are bits of one or two people in things the characters say.

How did you find time to write the book?

That was difficult. I tried to set aside one evening a week, lock myself away, and write. I found that throughout the rest of the week I was constantly thinking about where my story was going, and planning the next section out, so when I came to write I wasn’t sat around wasting time thinking about it: I knew what I wanted to say and was eager to get down to it. Writing time didn’t always happen the way I wanted, of course, and I became very adept at snatching half an hour here and an hour there. I don’t mind admitting I became quite crafty!

How long did it take you to write the book?

From the initial idea to publication will be 26 months, but the actual writing of the first draft took about 14 months.
How many illustrations are there?
Altogether there are nineteen. That’s one for each odd numbered chapter, an introductory image and a map. I also painted the cover art.

How long did it take you to draw the illustrations?

About nine weeks in total. I emailed a few test illustrations to my publisher, Tom Sigel, and he showed them around. The opinion was really positive so I plotted the rest out in pencil and then inked them in. It was a big job, but very rewarding.

Where did you find the ideas for the landscapes in your illustrations?

As soon as I sat down to illustrate Dragons I knew immediately the local views I wanted to show. The Old Vicarage was easy because I had the house, the garden, in fact the whole village already inside my head. The funny thing is, I was on the train back from Edinburgh recently and I saw the house! It was exactly as I have it in my head except the position wasn’t quite right. It was quite a spooky experience, I can tell you!

What mood were you in when you wrote the book?

I think I went through every emotion possible - excitement when ideas came together, worry when I couldn’t find a way to link the threads as I wanted, and nervousness that it was all going to simply fade to nothing, plus everything in between. I didn’t really expect to find a publisher. In fact I didn’t think Dragons was anywhere near good enough for a publisher to even consider and I felt disappointed each time it was rejected, but the whole experience has been fabulous.

How many drafts did you write?

Fourteen in total. Once the initial draft was completed I put it away for six weeks and tinkered around with other ideas, then came back to it and made my first edit. People read it for me and I edited it again and again – that came to six edits – before I was happy with it and began to look for a publisher. Once it was picked up by Sigel Press it went through a developmental edit with a professional editor and I made another two. Looking back that seems crazy, but next time I’ll be so much harder on myself in the editing stage. The eleventh – a copy edit by an editor - was out of my hands, but I went through another four as it was type set ready for printing. The whole drafting process taught me a lot about writing. I started to feel like I was back at school and I learnt so much, but it was a valuable experience.

Are you going to be a science fiction writer?

At the moment I have ideas for several other science fiction stories. I intend to explore these over the next few years but I’ve also plotted out a horror story which will make your hair curl!

Are you going to write a biography?

There’s a biography already on this website. Click on the "Author" link.

Is Dragons in the Sky going to be part of a series?

Oh, yes! The sequel is currently nearing completion. It will be a longer novel, more of a science fiction novel than Dragons, but will take the story in new directions as well as into the future. I also have detailed plans for a third book to complete the trilogy, to be released around 2010.

Did you feel proud of yourself when your book was published?

I feel proud that I’ve managed to get to this stage, and when I actually see it on the shelves in December I know I’ll feel great about it. At the moment it doesn’t feel real, though. I still think I’m dreaming!

Are you going to give up teaching to become a full time writer?
While it sounds a great idea to become a full time writer I have no intentions to give up teaching. I enjoy my job and like writing as a hobby, but who knows what hill happen in the future?