Wallace Briggs (1943 – present). Happily married to Pat, who I first met at the age of eleven, married at twenty one, celebrated Diamond Anniv ersary in Sept 2024/

Early years were experienced in and around Durham City never living more than 5ml distance from the Cathedral. Married in 1964, Pat and I spent many happy years in the North East of England before employment almost took us off to emigrate to South Africa. But plans were changed in the final weeks and the company moved the family Sussex.

After more than twenty years in Sussex, then Hampshire, employment was again responsible for the move to beautiful rural Lancashire, where we still reside. I am now retired from a long career in sales and marketing of technical products in the UK and international markets.

Jimmy Crikey was born one rainy day during a family holiday in Great Yarmouth, to entertain my son and his new-found friends for an hour or so. The story expanded over the following showery afternoons in the cramped confines of a beach tent, and more and more adventures were required to keep the children entertained. 

I look forward to sharing the adventures of Jimmy Crikey with a wider audience in the hope that they will bring a sense of wonder and enjoyment to another generation.

My inspiration to write  comes from  the wonderment I see on the faces of children enjoying my stories. That is my fulfilment.

I don't plot out my stories, I pick up a pen (or open a file on the laptop) and go where the mind takes me. Sometimes it goes nowhere and other times my fingers cannot keep pace with the flow of the story. I rarely know what direction the plot will take.

When asked 'What advice would you give other writers?' my response is that I don't feel qualified to advise other writers – except to develop a thick skin and never stop trying. There are mountains to scale before you can reach the promised land. You may never reach it but there's some fantastic scenery to take in on the way.