Rod Griffiths

I start with an idea, try to find a character that believes it, and then see where they take me. I write fiction, but often in the style of non fiction, I try to make it as 'true' as possible, a kind of untruthful non fiction.

I'm a retired medical professor living in Worcester UK. I spent thirty years in public health, becoming a professor, regional director and eventually president of the national professional body. I was made a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) in 2000, a great honour, and you get to shake hands with the Queen, and it's nice for your mum to see, but there's not much British Empire left to command, so it leaves plenty of time for writing. That background explains why I try to make the science in my books as real as possible, even though it is fiction.

I started writing when realised that the worst nightmares I prepared for in public health might make great thrillers. Fortunately, these things never happened, but it seemed a shame to waste the material. My first novel was dreadful and is kept well hidden. The second one is on Kindle and there are more in the pipeline.