User Id: Crossmouse

Email Address: Private

Date Registered: 17 March 2006

I am a writer by trade but I have only written fiction from time to time; I have always got bored of of any novel I've written by the time I have finished it. I went to a novel-writing workshop at Morley College several years ago and the moderator, Juri Gabriel, was brilliant, the best workshop leader I have ever known (and I have known plenty). His technique of constructive engagement is what I aim for in my critiques.
I also mark postgrad students' coursework and I am aware that I mark pretty hard. I will try not to blight peoples' chances but, from my experience, you could add at least a grade to the overall mark.
As for me, I have worked most of my career in the insurance industry, which is what I write about professionally. I have also published obscure papers on management, psychology and IT.
I am married and at least one, probably two, of my children also write, as did my father and my grandfather. My wife is a librarian so, all in all, books are a quite a feature in my household.
My tastes are resolutely unintellectual, favouring romance (Austen/Heyer), up-market SF/Fantasy (Pratchett/Holt/Le Guin/Pullman) and historical detectives (Davis/Peters). I have a deep admiration for Dan Brown and would swallow the ignominy of writing utter crap if I could make that much money.