AN aspiring writer is well on his way to becoming a famous author.

Garry Simpson, who lives in Queen Street, has just secured the backing of WL Literary – a Florida based agency keen to develop his science-fiction novels into an extensive series.

The 34-year-old said: “I’m hoping that a career might be born. Not a lot of people get the chance to do what they want to do like this and it’s funny how a hobby might turn into a career for me.”

The father-of-two has been writing on and off all his life, but first started to take his work seriously when he began writing his first novel Alternate four years ago.

The sci-fi novel was published by Athena Press and has now been picked up by the American agency, which wants to sell Alternate and the follow-on Perpetual Dawn to publishing houses all over the world.

Garry, who works as a date inputter by day, cannot believe that his dreams are starting to come true.

He added: “This is exactly what I have wanted – a dream come true, and I feel that good things will now happen.”

Garry, who does his writing by night, is amazed at the success of his first novel.

“It just started out as a hobby that gave me something to do when the kids were tiny,” he said.

”But I did a search for myself on the Internet and it’s available worldwide – Italy, America, Japan, India.

“It’s just startling to see that something I have done is available on such a wide scale.

“I would like to take the opportunity to thank everyone who has purchased the book and who has supported me.”