After doing a psychology degree in the 1980s, a chance encounter at a bus stop in York led me to Italy, and I ended up staying there for seven years. I worked as an English teacher, played semi-professional football, and co-hosted a programme on local radio. I then followed an urge to go to Greece, where I lived for thirteen years – mainly in Athens, but also on Crete. Inspired by the dramatic seascapes, ancient sites, and myths echoing through the ages, I spent my summers travelling round the islands, meeting people from different countries and trying to learn as much as I could from my experiences.

The Silent Stream was born out of my love of the Greek islands and my desire to explore ideas that encourage us to look below the surface of everyday life.