A writer of climate and other fiction and cofounder of a campaign to have Cli-Fi recognised as a separate genre by publishers and the book trade.
I have been writing magazine travel articles for many years, mostly linked to exploring the UK and Europe in a motorhome. Despite what most people believe, the UK is only 3% urban, the other 97% is open land or agricultural, and travelling extensively really puts that in perspective.
My first book, ‘Dot’s Legacy’, was written over fifteen years ago but only published in 2016, and concerns a couple who inherit a Park, with full public access. So, the outdoor theme continued from my meanderings in the real countryside. Two more books followed, ‘Dot’s Surprise’ and ‘Dot’s Secret’, in what became a trilogy as the couple adapted the park towards becoming a centre for green technology.
Then came a book of short stories, ‘Transport of Dreams’, about various forms of travel, from a carousel in France to the tales of four people taking a plane journey starting at the same hour, but from airports around the world.
In between the books I contributed to various anthologies from both publishers and writing groups.
In 2021 DN Knox and I published The Future Brokers, a novel two years in the writing, and a Climate Fiction thriller and love story. Set in 2050, the world has narrowly avoided complete climate Armageddon, with the use of artificial intelligence for advice. But now, the old rivalries between countries are leading to politicians beginning to ignore advice, and the world ecosystems are in peril again. An unemployed programmer falls off a mountain, sparking a chain of events that leads George and his spymaster boss, Serena, to become a unique channel between the Prime Minister and sentient AI.
We also started a Facebook campaign to have Climate Fiction, Cli-Fi, recognised as a separate genre by publishers and the book trade. With nearly 500 writers and supporters we wrote to the major movers and shakers in the industry in advance of COP26. COP27 has come and gone and we are still campaigning to get them to acknowledge that fiction can be a powerful tool in the fight to get voters all over the world to put climate change at the top of their concerns. We believe that segmenting the Sci-Fi market, where Cli-Fi is normally found, can be a profitable move as well.
Join us on Facebook at The Voice of Climate Fiction, buy and review Cli-fi books and help put pressure on the book trade to recognise Climate Fiction as a new genre.
All these books are available on Amazon as paperbacks or Kindle.