Richard G. Stevens

Somerset born, Somerset bred - strong in the arm but weak in the head: labouring under this pre-conceived notion I, as the grandson of a brewer's drayman, was fortunate enough to get a leg-up on entry to the local grammar school, followed by an engineering apprenticeship in the aircraft industry. During this time, I received my first exposure to the world of writing and publication as editor of the firm's apprentice magazine - not a stellar beginning perhaps, but it fired an interest which, coupled with aircraft engineering exposure, took me to writing military equipment technical works and financial proposals. After nearly twenty years of original aeronautical and related engineering, I concluded that, following further government cuts, diversification was the only way forward for me. Aged 40 I somehow managed to add a teaching degree and an MSc to my engineering qualifications as a necessary precursor to a tardy career change. After some years in the secondary, tertiary and university education sector, I 'decided' on early retirement from this field following a successful battle with the big C and a wish to do more living and less working. With experience in aviation and as a pilot, together with a love of all things mechanical particularly steam engines, I enjoy injecting my real-world experiences into my writing. My 'retirement' has enabled greater devotion to travel and a better understanding of life in general and, as a polyglot and polymath, I am fortunate to be able to bring a wealth of experience from my 60-odd years to the world of authorship. Although my passion is for novels of an historical bent surrounded by mystery, complex plot and intrigue I also like to intersperse my serious novels with lighter works of a humorous nature. I spend a good deal of time overseas and am blessed with a beautiful writing environment on the island of Crete where my imagination, though drawing heavily on reality, is able to flourish in a tranquil stress-free environment.