What’s your background, what compelled you to start writing?

I used to write all the time as a kid, but I stopped in my late teens. No particular reason—life just got in the way. But in my late 20s I realised I was really missing it, so I decided to take it up again. Writing is in my blood, and I don’t think I’ll ever be able to stop again—or want to!

 Which other authors are you friends with, and how do they help you be a better writer?

It’s easy to think of writing as a strictly solo activity, so I’ve been amazed to discover the online indie horror community. There are so many talented writers there who inspire me every day. There’s no real sense of competition—I always feel my writer friends celebrate with me when I get an acceptance, and I do the same for them. They’re a great group of people and we’ve produced some solid anthologies together.

Does writing energise you, or exhaust you?

Usually it energises me. Especially when my latest work in progress is going well! It can sometimes be exhausting when I’ve hit a dry patch, or I’m exhausted with other stuff. Normally, the most exhausting part is the few minutes before you start. It’s plain sailing after that. Well, sort of!

What sparked the idea for this book?

Place of Caves was my coronavirus lockdown project. I’d had the idea of a Nottingham-based horror novella bouncing around my head for years, with a secret order of priests and nuns sent to investigate demonic goings-on in the caves. But somehow, I’d never got around to it. Being inside for months and seeing the Black Hare Press call for underground-themed horror spurred me into action.

Why did you choose Nottingham as the setting of this book?

I live in Nottingham, and it’s always seemed like the perfect place to set a horror story to me. There’s so much history and so many ghost stories! Apart from anything else, there’s a massive network of caves underneath the castle area of the city that has been used for centuries. Despite all that, I’m not aware of any other horror book set there! So I decided it was time to change that. The name “Place of Caves” comes from the first written reference to the area, used by a monk in 868 AD.

What’s brewing? What projects are you working on?

Like a lot of indie writers, I suffer with the “problem” of too many ideas and not enough writing time—which I suppose is better than the other way around! I’m hoping to carry on with the characters from Place of Caves because I’ve enjoyed spending time with them, and I’d like to turn this into a series of novellas, short stories and novels. I’d also like to self-publish a couple more themed short story collections.