I grew up in Cornwall, middle child of three. My childhood was different but generally a happy one. I was a keen reader and fell in love with Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, reading my dad’s battered copy three or four times while in primary school. I soon took up the pen myself and remember writing a 70 page epic adventure for a school English lesson.

I went to a decent comprehensive school and came out with 8 GCSEs (2 As in English, naturally) before losing my way a bit and flunking my science A-levels. I got back on track with a BTEC in Media Studies (getting joint highest grades in the year) and then had an amazing time at Cardiff University, meeting some amazing people including my partner who has somehow stuck by me ever since. Although I enjoyed much of my Journalism, Film and Broadcasting degree course, I got distracted by life’s experiences and didn’t finish the course.

We relocated to Yorkshire, where I worked in a sandwich factory and a bank, then back to Cornwall for a season (working on a karting track) and then to Lancashire where our two children were born. After some agency work, I spent a few years working for a travel company. During this time, I returned to study, finally becoming the first person in my family to get a university degree – a BSc in Psychology.

Eventually, the travel office in Accrington was closed down and I was made redundant just as my other half finished her nurse training.

We relocated to Devon where I considered going for my Master’s but decided instead to set up as a freelance writer while my other half embarked upon her career as a nurse. That was in 2009. Over the past 10 years, I have written copy for countless articles, blogs and websites, had articles published in the national and local press and had a fair few ghostwritten books published (including one Amazon best-seller!).

But that’s for other people. For myself, I have finally finished the novel I began writing decades ago. I am excited about the future as I have so many projects in the pipeline, not least finishing The Kingfisher Quests trilogy. I am also writing a children’s fiction series, The Enchanted Land and have plenty of ideas lined up for a few non-fiction books (on metaphysics and spirituality, etc. because that’s how I roll).

The next step on this path is to finally get some agent representation. If you’re an agent and think you might like to work with me, please email nicneil9@gmail.com or call me on 07762906818.