Known to many as a leading authority in the field of medicine and biomedical engineering, Professor Stanley Salmons is making a name for himself as an author.
Professor Salmons, 69, an emeritus professor at University of Liverpool’s department of human anatomy and cell biology, has published his first novel — and it marks quite a change in direction. Footprints in the Ash, a Pompeii Mystery revolves around the disappearance of an eminent archaeologist following a discovery at the Roman city of Pompeii.
“I can’t really say where I got the idea from without spoiling the plot,” Professor Salmons tells People. “Writing is an area that is hard to get into. Everyone thinks they are going to be the next JK Rowling. What I find fascinating about fiction writing is that it’s so different to scientific writing. This is something I had to learn.”
He says the book took about three months to write, during which he flew out to Naples and Pompeii for research.
“This made a big difference in establishing the authenticity. I think that there are some things that you just can’t get from books and maps.”
He has written five other novels, which he is hoping publish. The art, he says, is to engage the reader and hold their attention. “It’s a learning curve and I’m still on it.” Home is Wrexham.
‘Footprints in the Ash’ is published by UKA Press, priced at £9.99