THE LATEST BOOK IN MY COLLECTION
In the past, quite a few people have asked me how and why I started writing. In reality, it began with a simple hobby (classic cars), and a particular project that I'd put together for my own quick reference. This ultimately grew into something that was recommended for publication by a well-known author with the same interests, and the rest - as they say - is history. It certainly wasn't my intended profession, and my teachers at school would have split their sides laughing at the very thought of me being a writer given my English grades!

As such, I became a writer by accident. That answers the how bit. Sixty books later, mainly on motoring history, and not only has my spelling improved, the why part of the question has become easier to answer, too. Basically, it's a thirst for knowledge. If there was something I desperately wanted to read about and nothing available that took my fancy, I'd talk to my publisher, and, more often or not, the book I was looking for would be on the shelves within a year, with my name on the cover. Yes, I'm one of those scary types that actually finds research exciting - it probably explains my lack of success with the ladies, as I guess that makes me exactly the kind of guy you want to avoid at parties!

Anyway, as you can imagine, being in the trade, I tend to look at books with a fairly critical eye. For me, a nice book has to be something you can read from cover to cover without being tired, and at the same time something you can dip into and find a certain fact with ease. It should also be visually stimulating to the point where looking at the pictures alone satisfies the senses. The latest book to join my collection, which landed in my letterbox with a hefty thud earlier this week, is Ascot: The History by Sean Magee. Let's just say that there's no need for me to consider writing about this legendary British racecourse - the job has been done, and it's been done well. Wish it was my name on the front...