Alan Veale describes himself as “a creative writer”. He qualifies this by explaining that his interests are diverse. “I’d rather be a jack of all trades than a master of none” he says. Since leaving school he has written comic sketches to entertain his peers, then theatre scripts, newspaper reviews and articles, and lately (from 2010) published two novels and a memoir (his mother’s). “Oh, and a travelogue!” (Describing his visit to Australia just as the coronavirus pandemic struck worldwide) “Well, it created a lot of fuss – the pandemic, not the travelogue.”
Alan writes with an emphasis on the business of entertaining. “I love to read something that provides escapism, while still rooted in the real world, so I try to do the same in my own writing. Even thrillers need occasional humour to break down the tension. The fun I have writing in that genre is by bringing the unexpected, and keeping the reader on edge. It’s a challenge to keep that up for long, but I do enjoy a challenge!”
Then there’s his less serious side.
In 2018 Alan joined forces with long-time friend and thespian Peter Franksson to write comedy sketches for a new theatre group, JAPE Productions. The result is The Red Rose Tattoo – an ongoing career as both writer and performer, producing podcasts as well as live performances radio-style.
Further details of his work (and the opportunity to be on Alan’s mailing list) can be found at www.alanveale.com.