NATURAL HISTORY WRITING

My earliest writing was for the Aquarist and Pond Keeper Magazine. At the time I worked at a public aquarium as Education Officer. My first article was called School Grounds as Amphibian Sanctuaries and was based on a project I was running to help schools encourage and care for frogs, toads and newts in their grounds.

My first book Endangered Species Dolphins and Whales was written for adult readership and first published in 1990 and reprinted in 2003.

Me and my inflatble life sized bottlenose dolphin

OBSERVING NATURE
After writing several more magazine articles I was approached by Wayland Publishers. I was asked to undertake some consultancy work. A year later they contacted me to write a series of wildlife books 'Observing Nature'

There were 10 books in the series which was designed to both inspire the reader and interpret their own observations. Titles included Blackbird, Seagull, Butterfly, Spider, Rabbit and Ant. Different titles were illustrated by a different illustrator who specialised in that particular animal. As author I was allowed to instruct the illustrator on the content layout for each spread. The result was text and wonderfully detailed illustations that complimented each other perfectly.

ADAPTING FOR SURVIVAL
Adapting for survival compares similar features, eyes, ears, mouth, noses, hands and feet and how they are adapted in different animals to suit their life style or habitat. A dolphin’s eyes that can see underwater, a bush baby that urinates on its hands to leave a scent trail, or a snail that can only see light and dark.

How the elephants nose (trunk) is an extra limb or how a bird and bats forelimbs have adapted to give these animals the power of flight. In each case the reader can compare these abilities with their own. I feel that adaptations and animal behaviours encompass some of the most fascinating aspects of animals watching.


(This Page is under develoment to replace the old page that just provided information about the books I have written)