In 2009 I was approached by the wonderful Sir Timothy Ackroyd to write a short story for an anthology of original illustrations and prose pieces by a varied collection of artists including: Dame Beryl Bainbridge, Stephen Fry, Sir Derek Jacobi, Alexander McCall Smith, Richard E Grant, Hugh Bonneville, Kenneth Branagh, Maggi Hambling, Sir Michael Gabon, Bear Grylls, Mark Rylance and Ruby Wax. My name appears in the index beneath Mr Jools Holland and above Mr Mick Hucknall.
All this came about because I used to frequent the Aphrodite Taverna on Hereford Road in London. I went there after work to have dinner and write before retiring to my small flat across the road. On Sir Tim’s fiftieth birthday, he spotted me scribbling by myself at my corner table and insisted I join his table full of British stage and television actors. From there, came friendship. And later, his request I write a story dedicated to an animal. I said I didn’t know any animals or have any pets (true at the time). Eventually we agreed I should write the biography of my stuffed animal, Seymour.
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