August 2007 About to approach agents with my manuscript. The cover has been adjusted by a graphic artist. I shall put it up here shortly. I have a review by MIND (see below). I think I have come to the conclusion that the book will not work as an artistic statement unless I give all the proceeds to charity: Comic Relief in fact. I’ll ask Prince Charles to see what he thinks.

Back cover bookblurb When the future king of Great Britain’s dog goes missing, Clive Labrador PhD, a scientist working on secret government defence projects, goes looking for it (and his beloved Harris tweed flat cap). He soon finds himself drawn into a high tech, mysterious and magical world of longstanding Anglo-Soviet conspiracy, espionage and the peace process in Ireland. But can, indeed should, he realise this world is no more than the product of his own mind and the condition he is suffering – paranoid schizophrenia? Is it possible for Dr Labrador to shatter the delusional conspiracy and make a real contribution to the peace negotiations? And can he find himself in the process? This existential voyage through mental illness in search of a £10,000,000 donation to charity is a right Royal dog hunt and Labrador’s tour de force.

“This very interesting book makes a unique contribution to our understanding of serious mental illness…In the face of the turmoil of psychosis, there is no easy prescription for achieving collaboration between the patient and the psychiatric services, but this book eloquently makes the point that the first step is engagement in dialogue.”- Peter Liddle, Professor of Psychiatry,

Queen’s Medical Centre, Nottingham “A fascinating read giving great insight into what it is like to live with the symptoms associated with paranoid schizophrenia as well as the appalling side-effects of some of the treatments for it.” - Helen Finch, Sales and Marketing Manager, MIND



PhD Ceremony 1989
(click on pic for larger image)