So who am I? Well, I have worked as a broadcast journalist for many years, for Independent Radio News on both Downtown Radio and Cool FM, covering all the major ‘Troubles’ stories from Northern Ireland, including the IRA Hunger Strikes, The Maze Prison break-out, The Poppy Day bombing in Enniskillen and the Omagh Bomb atrocity.

I have interviewed a whole range of people – from Ian Paisley, Martin McGuinness and Gerry Adams to Margaret Thatcher, Chris Patton and the late Mo Mowlam. I have breakfasted with pop evergreen Cliff Richard (in Belfast’s Europa Hotel, which still holds the distinction of the most bombed hotel in the world), shared a cup of coffee with the boys from Westlife – and even had a bit of a banter on the radio with King of the Jungle Christoper Biggins (I’m a Celbrity Get Me Outta Here).  Apologies for the name dropping! Oh, yes, and I won a Sony Award for my radio coverage of the then US President Bill Clinton’s historic visit to Northern Ireland.

Currently, I am Group Editor at 4Square Media, a highly respected and long established publishing company based in Hillsborough, County Down, where we produce a series of trade and business-to-business magazines, including Export & Freight, Sustainable Ireland and Plant & Civil Engineer. Not quite as exciting as my previous day job, but at least it allows me time to devote to my first love: thriller writing.

My favourite authors are,  in no particular order, John Grisham, Jeffrey Archer, James Patterson, Stieg Larsson – and Vince Flynn, he of ‘Mitch Rapp’ fame.

Along with my wife Jackie, I have travelled abroad extensively and, as you will appreciate if you pick up a copy of my latest novel, The Icelander, due for publication in April by David James Publishing and on Amazon Kindle, one of my favourite European cities is Venice in Italy.

My back catalogue includes ‘The Franchise Affair,’ ‘Nightingales’  ’The Provo Link’ and ‘The Strasbourg Connection,’ the latter two penned under the name David Hayward, and which are currently being updated to be released as 2nd Editions very shortly. Look out for my back catalogue available soon on Kindle, too!

I am presently working on the follow up to The Icelander, again featuring Nick Savvas and Lyndsay Mitchell, so watch this space!