I’ve always been interested in writing and over the years have tried my hand at various short stories, plays and novels. In fact American Ambition is not my first novel but my third. The first I attempted in 1984, is now lost and probably just as well. The second dates from 1988 and I still have the typescript, produced on an old manual typewriter and with a lot of tweaking might just make it back into my list of projects. After several false starts over the last few years I finally made my mind up to have “one more go” at writing a novel. With modern technology such as PCs and the internet there was no excuse for not trying again. After many rejections from agents and publishers – most of whom had not even read my work – I finally found Lulu. I uploaded a version of my book on the day after my daughter’s wedding and what a thrill it was to receive a printed version through the post a couple of weeks later. My book with my name on the cover!

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American Ambition
Ken Finlay is President Duncan King’s blue eyed boy. He is popular, clever and moderately ambitious. Some smart work sees him promoted to Secretary of State then three journalists tell Finlay that a computer program predicts that he will soon become President as well. Finlay’s ambitions are heightened by the prediction and his sudden good fortune. So are those of his scheming wife Grace, who sees herself as the power behind her husband. They hatch a plot to disgrace King while he is staying at their weekend retreat; it is Ken and Grace who return to Washington as President and First Lady. At first Finlay’s Presidency is successful, but one by one his political allies desert his cause and turn against him. In order to survive he is drawn deeper into a web of intrigue and deceit.