Originally from England, I moved to Israel in 1997.  I balance the pressures of the world by writing and cycling.  I published my first 2 children's books in 2007, here in Israel.  Even though I write in English, I chose to publish in Hebrew, to be close to the local market.  It was a great decision, and my first book sold about 10,000 copies, a very respecable number for such a small country.  See http://www.magicpenandpaper.com/eng/. I always said, if I could make a good living entertaining kids, I would do it.  But I can't, so "during the day" I'm immersed in professional sales.  Having said that, I really enjoy doing book readings at local kindergardens.  If you are comfortable presenting to audiences when wearing your business hat, you'll think again once you've tried keeping the attention of fifty 5-year olds!

I've recently submitted my books to US agents via Agentinbox and am waiting for "feedback".

I really enjoy the Webook competitions ("Dear John", "Cheating Challenge", etc).  I've met some fascinating people as a result, and as importantly, I've learned several technical aspects of writing from "friends" who have professional qualifications and/or significant experience in writing English.