About

Hi, thanks for dropping by. So I'm Mark. I was born in a small beach town on the east coast of Scotland. It may sound glamourous, but although right on the coast with some lovely beaches, the town is most famous as a wind-swept mining settlement.
I left when I was five years old. Not on my own of course, although some might not be terribly surprised if this was the case. Eventually, I left Scotland altogether and made a Dick Whittington style trek on a big shiny Stagecoach bus to London.
I somehow managed to get into London University, graduated with an English degree and started working as a journalist.
London has become my home - it's the place I've lived in longest - but Scotland will never leave me. If only it was warmer, I'd move back in a jiffy.
I've been a BBC journalist and presenter, worked as head of equity research for a stockbroker and interviewed everyone from the cast of Downton Abbey to Giorgio Armani.
I was able to spend three years working in Dubai - great place, but a little odd and not at all as 'free' as Europe - but it's the warm weather, you see. I love it.
I also went around the world on a one year ticket just after the 9-11 attacks. Everyone said 'don't go', but me and the man of the moment packed our backpacks and had an awfully big adventure.
When I was 36, I bought a run down old house in SW France. It's still a bit run down despite my plans and efforts to create a bit of London chic in 'la profonde'.
On a chilly day in January 2018 I published my first novel. No surprises for guessing that Changing Trains is travel adventure.
It's set against the backdrop of 1980s Europe, as Sam, the main character travels across France, Spain and Italy in search of new experiences. But it's also a coming-of-age tale of how he deals with a very big question - his own identity and sexuality.
I hope you like it. It has a great soundtrack in the music Sam listens to on his Walkman.
I'd love to see it made into a film, because Sam visits some of Europe's greatest cities, meets lots of really interesting people and gets up to all sorts of mischief.
I wrote most of the novel travelling back and forth across the Channel on Eurostar and TGV trains. In fact this is where the story itself starts. If you get to read it, I'd love to hear what you think of it.
Mark