Mark wrote his first novel draft when he was 17 years old. It’s still lying in a box in a dusty loft. Untouched. Like many other aspiring authors, he fell in step with a ‘steady’ career and income, and the yearning to write gurgling away in the pit of his stomach. When a gap presented itself in his busy life, he started to write short stories and was lucky enough to have a good number published or recognized in competitions.In May 2022, a convenient break in his career appeared and, at the same time, he discovered the dreadful truth about his Jewish ancestors’ plight under the Nazis in the Netherlands. So he embarked on his first full length novel, The Thirteenth Child, a piece of historical fiction, but with the experiences of his ancestors permeating every word. Patiently supported by his wife and daughter, watched indifferently by their black and white cat and often distracted by his ADHD, he completed the novel, and it was published in January 2024. Suitably encouraged, he started the sequel, which is to be released later in the year. He’d love to hear from you whether you're interested in his WW2 research, his short stories or his current writing - please, pop onto his website to discover more.Read more about this authorRead less about this author