About the Author

I was born in Horley, Surrey, England, but grew up in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire where, outside school, I spent much of my spare time roaming the countryside and observing wildlife. Besides an interest in science, especially biology, I was also interested in history and English literature. I started writing poetry in my late teens, although eventually decided to embark on a career in entomology rather than literature.

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After gaining degrees in Zoology at Reading and Oxford Universities, I produced my first collection of predominantly natural history poetry, The Eternal Quest, published in 1988 by Merlin Books Ltd., under the pseudonym of ‘Hugh Llewelyn’, one branch of my maternal ancestors having come from Wales. My next collection of 84 poems, Blue Skies in Tuscany, was published in 2000 by Minerva Press, London, and again concerned mainly natural history themes, but with a distinct philosophical slant. Thereafter, I published a further seven collections of poetry, all with Brambleby Books Ltd., including an illustrated volume for children: Zoooo: Living Poetry for Children accompanied by line drawings by the Munich-based artist Rita Mühlbauer. My latest collection, my tenth, Red Tulips: Selected Poems 1999-2016, also has a natural history bias.

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Presently I live with my wife Nicola in Heasley Mill, North Devon, where I work as a science writer and editor, as well as help her run Brambleby Books Ltd. My books can be ordered online here.