On more normal days, when not applying the techniques of method acting to writing, I’m an eye surgeon at Temple St Children’s Hospital. I’m extensively published in the academic world with more than 30 scientific peer-reviewed papers and contributions to four multi-author books.

The Reluctant Cannibals is my first full length novel. This novel was one of the winners of the Irish Writers' Centre Novel Fair in 2012 and in 2013 was shortlisted for the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award, reaching the last five in the general fiction category.  I was a finalist in Food and Wine magazine's restaurant critic competition in 2012 and a semi-finalist in the Jeffrey Archer Flash Fiction competition in 2013.

I am just putting the finishing touches on my second novel and have a growing collection of food related short stories covering a range of topics from a lobster in love with a young girl, an oyster’s perspective on being eaten, to the girl who died because she didn’t eat enough cup-cakes.

As well as The Reluctant Cannibals  I’ve also written an award winning popular science blog (www.journeybystarlight.com). This blog has been developed into a science book for young adults in the style of a graphic novel with illustrations by the hugely talented Britt Spencer.  ‘Journey by Starlight – A time traveller’s guide to life, the universe and everything’ was published  in the USA by One Peace Books in March 2013. Visit the Journey by Starlight microsite at www.journeybystarlight.com.