Nick Christian, now retired, has pursued a life of personal freedom in all its forms. At the age of 70, his lust for independence has recently culminated in his first self-published novel of Historic Fiction. “You have only one life, live it, and where possible, by your own rules,” he advises, and follows his own advice daily.
Having grown up in the countryside at a time in history when the Nanny State and pressures of social media would only have been a fantasy in a futuristic Si-fi movie, he had the good fortune, along with a proportion of his generation, of having freedom thrust upon him.
Home was a small cottage, isolated from the nearest neighbour by fields and woods. Water was gathered from a deep well and the house was heated by a coal fired inglenook fire. In winter, glistening patterns of frost decorated the inside of his bedroom window.
This is how Nick describes his childhood:
“Play was not about holding a video controller in front of a screen for hours but absorbing what nature and her seasons had to offer, outside. Freedom to hunt for birds’ nests in the spring or light fires without the Health & Safety Executive taking all the fun away, was normal. Digging holes to capture shews took up many an hour, and I was a dab hand at gardening from an early age. Cycling was a means to get to school or explore miles of country lanes without adult supervision, not a trendy way of keeping fit. No Lycra go-faster suits for us. Sitting in an office for even a single day, rather than be in the world experiencing the neverending cycle of seasons, would have been tantamount to voluntary imprisonment for me.”
Qualified as Commercial and Industrial Photographer, he travelled Europe and Africa as a Ship’s Photographer, using his skills to see new and exotic places. Time saw a change in career when he entered the Road Transport Industry, as an H.G.V owner driver. Again his lust for freedom was fulfilled with travel in both the UK and mainland Europe. Finally, his imagination produced a patented invention, from which he started his own manufacturing business which took him to the end of his working life. Now retired he can devote many hours to writing, a new type of expression and creative freedom he has yet to fully explore.
Front cover by Nick Christian. Photographed at Alresford station, Hampshire.
Nick Christian’s first novel, primarily aimed at young adults, is titled “William’s Wondrous War”. It is a delightful story, full of adventure, wonder and childlike humour. We particularly loved the way it showed the war through a child’s eyes, sparkling with mischief and always on the lookout for opportunities for fun and games (or making a bob or two).
It was inspired by a true story with echoes, in places, of Nick’s own childhood. Nick’s meticulous research and colourful imagination have produced a vivid and entertaining account of a young lad growing up during the first two years of World War 2. Challenged by adult values and his own maturity, the book produces a picture of life away from the normal or expected rhythms of juvenile development. Historically accurate and overflowing with nostalgia this often hilarious account of life during the war also has the theme of freedom running through it like the writing in a stick of rock.
William’s Wondrous War is available on Amazon here.
We caught up with Nick in the den at the end of his garden to find out how he is enjoying retirement in his new guise as an author. One thing is for sure – it’s never too late to do what you love.
When did you first start writing?
When I was a boy. I had a very enthusiastic English Language teacher at school who coaxed a few lines of poetry from me. These were used as examples in a teacher training college and later published. I ended up training as a photographer, but it was my creative writing skills that secured my college place.
Why do you write?
Pleasure is number one, but also to prove something to myself. I find it very satisfying to be able to produce images in my readers’ minds with the words I write. Their acknowledgement of the fact is gratifying. The cheques are also great. On second thoughts, this could be the best reason…
Where do you write?
Usually in Costa or at my local pub. I find that the ambient buzz helps me dissolve into my creative prose, and I’m actually unaware of any of the people or noises around me.
Where did the idea for your book come from?
A number of years ago I had cause to drive to Northern Spain in my truck and accordingly offered a good friend the opportunity of a free trip. He was a gentleman confident in his own world of metal recycling, but terrified of going abroad. Our five-day journey became an animated exchange of stories about our childhoods.
He was older than me by about ten years and grew up during World War 2. For him, schooling was of secondary importance. Gaining the ability to live by his wits was paramount. As happens to ‘William’ (or ‘Billy’) in my book, his father became ill one winter so he took his father’s truck to deliver logs to the troops on Salisbury Plain. Like Billy, he got into trouble with the police and ran away to London. Being on the run wasn’t easy (although sometimes it was fun). Eventually, like Billy, homesickness got the better of him and he handed himself in, only to find he was not actually on any wanted list. This story stuck with me and I wanted to record it – this was the inspiration for my book about life in World War 2.
My friend, an original investor in freedom, attended the University of Life and was answerable to no one except himself and his wife. As an observer of life, he was part of a fraternity who lived by their wits and always had a story to tell. He was a fascinating character, and I have tried to translate that in the book’s main character, Billy.
What is your next book going to be about?
I have just finished a children’s book which now has to be edited and illustrated. My next novel is, at this point, nothing more than the main character’s name in my head – Jonny Moonbeam, a gentleman chancer. It will possibly absorb the next two years of my life.
Why self-publish?
Following an interview with Bloomsbury I was informed many agents have 2000+ manuscripts a week drop through their letterboxes. The chances of an unknown author of fiction, making it to the desk of a reviewer is quite remote. Self-publishing, a growing trend even among established authors, guarantees publication and reader feedback will confirm or refute one’s writing ability. If successful, higher commission rates can produce greater cheques for many years.
What else is in the works?
I would like the opportunity to return to my photographic roots to produce a book entitled Women at Work, an exposé into the role women play in 21st Century industry.
What is your philosophy of life?
‘Go for it’. I consider it better to have tried and failed than to never to have tried.
What would you say to someone who says, “I’m too old to change what I do?”
Complete rubbish. [Tweet “Do not let fear get in the way of your dreams. Do not go to your grave with regrets.”]
William’s Wondrous War is available on Amazon here.
