Ex-Kitwood teacher writes debut novel

Minds in Synchrony, Book 1 Duet, is the work of John Cowley, 77, of Swineshead.

Mr Cowley is a former teacher at Kitwood Boys’ School and appeared in The Standard in 1968 when he and his wife, Muriel (who also worked for a time at the school), left for a new life in Perth, Australia, with their two young sons.

While Mr Cowley, today a grandfather-of-five, has written numerous academic works, Minds in Synchrony, Book 1 Duet is his first piece of fiction.

He said: “I enjoy writing, I really enjoy it. Sometimes I can’t wait to find out what happens next – it might sound strange, but once you have got a story going and you have got the characters, the story almost writes itself.”

Minds in Synchrony, Book 1 Duet is set in the not-too-distant future and centres on a military interest in the apparent psychic abilities of two individuals.

It saw Mr Cowley draw on his background in science, partly from being a science teacher, and his interest in current affairs.

It features Swineshead, Boston, Sleaford, as well as Australia, where Mr Cowley lived for 47 years.

Published by United Publishing Company, it is the first of four books he has written in a series – with the next due to be released shortly.

“The books gathered momentum as they went along,” he said.