Julian Stockwin

A great fan of real ale, Julian also dotes on his two Siamese cats, Ming and Mae. They sometimes interfere with his writing but as all cat lovers attest, they can do no wrong... He was born in Basingstoke but as his father was a headmaster the family moved around quite a bit, including a few years in Sheerness. No one else in his family was in the Navy but Julian was captivated by the thought of adventure on the high seas! Although he gained a place at a grammar school Julian's concentration suffered. With the thought of knocking some sense into his son Julian's father sent him at the age of fourteen to Indefatigable, a tough sea-training school. There, navigation and ropework won out over Latin and maths. He joined the Royal Navy at fifteen before transferring to the Royal Australian Navy, where he served in the Far East, Antarctic waters and the South Seas. In Vietnam he saw active service in a carrier task force. He trained as a traditional shipwright and he believes should he find himself aboard an Age of Sail man-o-war he would probably feel quite at home. After leaving the Navy (rated Petty Officer), Julian practised as an educational psychologist. He lived for some time in Hong Kong, where he was commissioned into the Royal Naval Reserve. He was awarded the MBE and retired with the rank of Lieutenant Commander. Not willing to sever links with Neptune's realm Julian decided to try his hand at writing - about the sea, of course, and the Great Age of Fighting Sail. His unique perspective of having served both on the lower deck and on the quarterdeck as an officer gave him a special insight into life at sea. So the Kydd series, the story of one man's journey from pressed man to admiral in the age of fighting sail, came to fruition. Twenty seven books have been published. As well, he has written 'Stockwin's Maritime Miscellany', a little non-fiction tome and two historical standalones, 'The Silk Tree' and 'The Powder of Death.'