MY PATH TO PUBLICATION
CHRIS BRIDGES
The debut psychological thriller author describes how he found his voice when he started drawing on his lived experience of chronic illness and decided to create a character who bust the stereotypes
© Maxim Vinciguerra at Infinity Focus
My gateway drug into writing was chocolate. Aged seven, I wrote a story in class and won the school prize of a plastic vending machine that spat out miniature chocolate bars when you fed in coins.
I’ve always loved reading. During secondary school I developed an addiction to crime fiction and worked my way through Agatha Christie’s back catalogue. For entertainment I’d make up murder plots in my head and map out complex twists. I even bought myself a typewriter with my pocket money. It felt natural that I’d go on to university to study English, maybe become a journalist. Definitely churn out a few bestselling novels at weekends.
None of that happened. My chaotic teenage behaviour meant that I flunked my exams and lost my university place. Instead, I stumbled into doing my nursing training. Thankfully, I loved being a nurse and thrived. I abandoned my writing plans and immersed myself in a career working in hospitals.