I wrote my first story when I was seven and never really stopped. I finished my first novel when I was twenty and knew from then that all I wanted to be in life was an author.

I wrote a lot after that. All sorts of novels, failed novels, short stories and articles. I wrote and I wrote and I wrote, and there were some successes. My first novel was rejected by all the best publishers, this was back when publishers accepted unsolicited manuscripts, and accepted them in paper. I even received a number of so-called ‘positive’ rejections, one from Serpent’s Tale calling my writing “full of vim”.

When it came to pitching my second book, Death of a Dream-Pedlar to agents, positive rejections were the main responses I received. I had agents saying that me and my book were marvellous. I came third in a novel competition in which the judge said “only an idiot” would turn the book down - but turn it down they did.

For the longest time I was convinced traditional publishing was the only legitimate way to produce a book but I’m coming round. The fact is, self-printing my books means that I can write whatever I want without compromise, create the cover I wish and market it as I see fit. I am atrocious at marketing though. Good thing I can write ok.