Hello, I'm Martin Lake. I've been writing fiction since the age of eleven when our inventive English teacher Mr Johnson asked us to imagine that we were a Guy on a Guy Fawkes bonfire. I discovered the thrill of words and character.

My favourite authors when I was young were historical novelists like Rosemary Sutcliff and Henry Treece and a galaxy of science fiction writers. Later on I discovered the Flashman novels by George McDonald Fraser which I still consider the best of historical fiction.

I studied English Literature and History at UEA.

I have written all my life and had my first success with another story about 5th November, 'The Guy Fawkes Contest.' This was broadcast on radio and I spent more than my fee on celebrating my success.

Then one morning; revelation. I love writing and I love history. I decided to combine the two and wrote a novel about the Elizabethan spy network. There was some interest in this from publishers but not enough and it languishes still in a drawer.

I had a bad accident and could no longer drive nor turn over a paper-back book without dropping it and having to ask my wife to pick it up. My wife bought me an e-reader and shortly afterwards I discovered that I could self-publish my novels.

That was it. My life-long ambition was about to take off.

I have a series of novels set in the years following the Norman Invasion of England: The Flame of Resistance, Triumph and Catastrophe, Blood of Ironside and In Search of Glory.

I have also written four novels about the Viking Invasions of England: Wolves of War, To the Death, Land of Blood and Water and Blood Enemy.

Outcasts is about the fall of the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem and the Third Crusade.

ALove Most Dangerous and the sequel Very Like a Queen tell the tale of Alice Petherton, a mistress of King Henry VIII.

I have four World War Two novels: Cry of the Heart and Ties of the Heart and Brave, Bold Spirit and The Turn of the Tide.

You can find my blog at martinlakewriting.wordpress.com

Twitter @martinlake14.

Email: martinlake14@gmail.com