I failed English at school primarily because my handwriting was so bad; that and I fancied Mrs large the teacher. She was, ironically, only little. But my mind was anywhere but in a book. Leaving aged 16 I found myself unemployed and started reading books I found in my sister's bedroom, Mr Arkadin by Orson Welles being amongst the first. Then I read One Day In the Life of Ivan Denisovich and it remains one of my favourite novels to this day. I still have the same copy, and it still has the Hookergate Comprehensive stamp in the front... It wasn't long before I started writing, really badly as my grammar was awful, but Mrs Large must have made some impression (beyond the above) as I soon got my spelling and puncuation sorted and my sentences have been shrinking ever since. Then I discovered Thomas Pynchon. If you're good enough you can get away with anything, I thought, immersed in Gravity's Rainbow. Nearly 30 years later I think I may even be getting somewhere near.

My latest novels The Orange Propeller and Ocellus are available in paperback from online booksellers.

Website: http://www.apefiction.co.uk
Twitter: OcellusAMcEwan

• I'm dancing a jig on a kettle lid, my socks are sweating a stink; I'm making tea for a bumble bee, who tells me it's allergic to milk...
• Bugger, got that Apple tirade wrong. Jun 16 it is. This, of course, is why I've only ever owned one PC.
• Whilst I'm corporate bashing, how can Apple not know that in the UK Father's Day is in June?
• @WongaGillian @dmn1892 Does it have the interest rate on the back?
• Don't you love it when companies promise you the universe, but when you ask where the toilet is they're flummoxed.

Facebook: Facebook profile
Blog: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1608962.Andrew_McEwan/blog

http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B0034Q3AL8

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