About me

I'm an author and journalist. Based in Glasgow, I've recently been working on a novel while writing for the new, national version of the Big Issue, the magazine sold by the homeless. Have you bought this week's copy from your vendor yet?

In a previous life, I was a Fleet Street gossip and showbiz journalist with The Daily Mirror and the Daily Express.

This allowed me to interview a whole host of slebs and newsmakers: the likes of Eddie Izzard... Denzel Washington.... Johnny Depp... Barbara Windsor...and  Spice Girl Mel B's former boyfriend's ex girlfriend's pal... Yes, all those guys.

I've been a freelance writer since 2001. I've written for a range of newspapers, tabloid and broadsheet, including The Guardian, The Observer, The Daily Record, The Sunday Times, The Glasgow Herald and The Mirror.

I currently write a books column in The Big Issue.





In 2006 I was commissioned to write 25 Years of Taggart, for Headline, telling the story of the iconic Scottish detective series. That was a huge amount of fun and I still love the show, which sadly looks set to be shelved.

My wife is the brilliant romantic comedy author Carmen Reid who has written over fifteen books now, both for adults and teens. You can find out about her by visiting carmenreid.com or the Annie Valentine blog.

We live in Glasgow, under a lot of cloud, with two children far more brilliant than we are, and a Jack Russell who is a complete nitwit.