Alan grew up in post-war London with Canadian and English parents. He witnessed the transition from the drab 1950’s’ in a city littered with bombsites, to the seismic burst of colour in the late 60’s. His own memories of that era feed into the stories of his characters in his debut novel Gritstone. Alan’s writing encompasses a fascination with people’s shared history and family heritage - but also concealment, the limits of friendship, and living outside any law. Gritstone is set in the Calder Valley, an area Alan has known and visited for many years. The landscape lends itself to the Gothic undertow in the novel. Alan currently does therapeutic work in schools. He plays saxophones on the free music scene in London which is now more vibrant than ever, performing with players who are pushing the envelope. He is married and has lived near Epping Forest for over forty years. He continues to lose himself there.