John is a writer who bases his novels in and around Sussex farming communities

Having lived in the region and worked in agricultural and horticultural businesses for all of his adult life, John has a fascination for rural communities and how they are affected by external circumstances; whether war, extreme weather conditions and especially current issues such as our relationship with our European neighbours.

Ultimately the often close-knit and resilient communities need to carry on with their work and lives, regardless of these challenging factors around them – and regardless of the era they’re living in.

In his first novel, Under the Yew Tree, John takes us back to 1940 and the imagined Nazi occupation of Southern England.  The story is told through the eyes of Joseph and Julia, two young people learning to live with, and at the same time, resist the enemy.

John’s second novel, Ash before Oak, takes the life of the villagers on further, as the English Resistance defends its landscapes and way of life – and becomes a force to be reckoned with…