Colin Wraight

After joining the Army at the age of 16 I fought in the 1st Gulf War as part of 7 Armoured Brigade (the desert rats) and completed 3 tours of Bosnia Herzegovina at the height of the troubles. I began writing after my room mate wagered me a pint that I couldn't write a full length novel, I'm still waiting or that pint.

“Why on earth do you want to be a writer Colin? It’s a waste of time! You’ll never get anywhere writing! Why don’t you get a proper job?”

If I had a pound for every time those words had been said to me over the last twenty years I’d be a millionaire. Well maybe not a millionaire… But I think you get the idea.

But I am a writer, and I write because I’m compelled to do so, like some kind of junkie word addict who needs his next fix. I’m not ashamed to say that I live for that brainstorming moment, when out of the blue, a fantastic fully formed story downloads itself into my brain and plays on the minds eye like a video clip.

Words, sentences, paragraphs and chapters dance around in the smelting pot of my subconscious until they form stories. Characters evolve from a single minute idea, they grow and become so very much alive that they seem to write their own narrative, have their own voice and even make their own decisions. Me? I just write the story down, like some self appointed biographer to the imaginary.

As a storyteller you’re almost a god, an omnipotent and powerful creator of intricately woven worlds.

The truth is I don’t think writing is something you choose for yourself, it chooses you. You can run and you can hide but in the end, whether it be novels, poetry or lyrics, the need to put pen to paper becomes too much.

And that’s how it was with Poppy Darke. Once I had the idea, she took hold and wouldn’t let go. She forced her way into my mind and insisted I accompany her on her first adventure. She named herself, as did many of the other characters such as Gargle Skuttlebucket and Gulp Rottenoffle. She made me write when I was tired, she made me laugh and almost made me cry.

When the writing was done I sort of missed her and all the other characters, I was lost for a while… And then… I had an idea!

Colin Wraight