I have published six books so maybe that makes me an author. I am a member of the so-called ‘golden generation’ that was born just after the second world war, 1946 in my case, who have lived through a time of increasing prosperity and social and health care. There was always the imminent threat of nuclear war, but I’m not complaining.

I suppose I knew from an early age I was gay but without defining it as such. It was highly illegal then as well as being seen as socially unacceptable. But trying to repress one’s true sexuality is not a good idea and, sadly, I failed disastrously at one point. Things have thankfully changed since then, but I will refrain from putting too much biographical detail here, as that would be a spoiler for my memoir, but I now live with my wife in the north of England with family nearby.

I am autistic (so-called “high functioning”) and now I am slowly losing my sight to macular degeneration.