Teacher becomes top ten author

My name is Richard Clarke. I was born and bred in Yorkshire. I am a trained PE teacher who has spent nearly 30 years in the education sector. The majority of my career was spent in Yorkshire.

I was also a semi professional footballer for several years. This was despite a serious leg injury when I was 19 in 1988. I was told I would not be able to teach PE, play football or walk properly again.

Despite having to wear a calliper all my life, I never gave up on my dreams. I became a PE teacher and a semi professional footballer. I even played in the 2000 FA Sunday Cup Final at the City Ground Nottingham Forest. In the semi final I scored the only goal of the game at the Shay Halifax.

I was told at the time I was the first player to lead a Bradford team out in a National Final since 1911. I'm pretty sure I am the only player to ever wear a calliper in an FA Cup Final.

Inspired by my children and my late grandmother, I recently wrote and published a children's book called "Calm Pond." It is aimed at 5 to 9 year olds and is a book of nine short stories about a group of animals that live in Blackstone Edge. The resilience story on the book is based on my injury and drive to succeed. Four animals in the book are named after my children, George, Hannah, Niamh and Harry.

The stories cover many topics to help children understand life issues, such as equality, resilience, honesty, change, strengths and weaknesses, anxiety, differences, empathy, bereavement and mental health. Set in beautiful Blackstone Edge, it will also hopefully give children an appreciation of the environment.

The book recently got to number 10 in the Amazon charts for short stories for young adults. At that time I was above Roald Dahl in the charts. I have been interviewed twice by BBC Radio.

You can listen and see these interviews on my Facebook page Calm Pond by Richard Clarke

To buy copies of the book please click on the Amazon link below;

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1035813572/ref=pe_1572281_66412651_cm_rv_eml_rv0_dp#aw-udpv3-customer-reviews_feature_div