I work both as an individual author and as a writer and researcher on big projects. I am always happy to be contacted about any proposed work. My main areas of expertise are any aspect of the English language, English literature, myth and legend and anything to do with the middle ages. For a more detailed breakdown see What I Do
What I like to do most as a writer is to research a complex subject, often written in dry academic prose, and turn it into something readily accessible by the general public, without loosing too much of the subtleties.
I have worked on a number of major multi-authored reference works. These have included revisions for the new edition of Brewer’s Dictionary of Phase and Fable; The Encarta Dictionary (etymologies); The Cambridge International Dictionary of English (quotations, words in groups); The Oxford Dictionary of Modern Quotations (research and editing); The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary and The Oxford English Dictionary (historical research).
Earlier works on which I now have the copyright back and would be happy to rework:-
The Guinness Book of British Place Names (written with Fred McDonald)
A Dictionary of Allusions
Scottish First Names
Pretty well everything else I have written since 1988 is still in print in one form or another
If you are interested in using my skills and knowledge contact me
