Writing…..

….has for the most part been a hobby. In July 2001, having several commissioned articles for national computer magazines under my belt, I gave up the day job to give writing a full time go, including the penning of my first novel, Out of Control, which was updated some years later and is now available on Kindle as Youthenasia. Just two months later, the events of 9/11 instantly curtailed all freelance commissions from any of the magazines I had been working for, and the writing career was put on hold. In 2008, Pearson responded to my unsolicited approach to author a guide to getting the best outcomes from business meetings. Sadly my concept for a heavyweight tome was rejected, and replace with Brilliant Meetings that would dovetail into Pearson’s Brilliant series of business companions. The books on using digital technology to advance learning and teaching were unashamedly business development projects that very successfully put commercial EdTech solutions in front of decision makers and budget holders. The difficult second novel has been started and abandoned several times. For many years, half my professional life has been spent travelling to university and college campuses, and finding time to write became difficult, or at least put off! During Covid lockdowns in 2020, I started contemplating if Covid could present itself as an instrument for dark thoughts and desperate deeds. This in no way seeks to minimise the life-changing implications faced by many families resulting from Covid, but the reality of life is that all tragic events, from plane crashes, to 9/11 to the Grenfell Fire, ultimately find their way into art and literature. There are already many books around different aspects of Covid published. There is still a dream that ‘writer’ will be my final job description, and should Lance Dune House find some commercial and fund raising success, then a second Covid19 Murder Mystery - Pilgrim Corner - will see the light of day. It’s already pretty much written - just needs some tlc and a good editor. If you enjoy Lance Dune House, please help spread the word. Duncan