You heard it here first - unless you are one of a privileged minority.

I am 60 next birthday, and find that I only have limited energy (mental and physical) these days. I have been brooding for some months about the priorities in my life, some of which are compulsory, others optional, and have come to the conclusion that I need to do a shift around.

Anyway, I am going to complete my current Alianore manuscript and get it published one way or another. At worst it will appear as a Kindle version on Amazon. But after that, I am retiring as a writer.

I wrote my first full-length novel when I was about 15. Thankfully it was never published. I have been writing ever since, on and off. Sadly, what was once the joy of my life has become a chore. The Alianore thing is only do-able because it's light hearted and requires little research - although still a surprising amount.

I could write down a score of reasons for this decision, one of which would be my general disenchantment with the direction historical fiction has developed, with so much of it now so dire it's beyond my wit to parody. But the plain truth is I want to use what's left of my life's energy in other directions - looking after my wife, making models of the Great Central Railway and developing my spiritual side. I shall probably be getting rid of the majority of my medieval research books, as they will be surplus to requirements.

I anyone is disappointed by this, I am sorry. But as Luther said Here I stand. I can do no other.