Nigel Austin

Nigel Austin was born in Birmingham, where he eventually emerged from grammar school with a collection of O and A-level GCEs and vague ambitions. Entering the Civil Service at eighteen, he managed to survive a career spanning over thirty years, acquiring in the process, a number of skills and reputations. During this time, he honed his craft as a writer of myriad reports and guidelines that some thought entertaining, others found useful and many dreaded as persistent reminders of things they needed to do, despite ingrained reluctance.

Taking early retirement at fifty, he was able to focus on pursuits that were infinitely more satisfying personally and, subsequently, for the customers of a business he ran for nine years. Ultimately, he fulfilled a lifelong ambition to write seriously - for pleasure. Nigel now lives with his partner of many years in the home they built in rural Thailand, in temperatures that give the aircon a good daily workout, even during the cool season. His writing takes inspiration from the views of open countryside, comfort from iced mochas and the feel of bare feet on tiled floors.

His website can be found at http://www.nigelaustin.co.uk