I retired from University in 2005 at which time I set myself one promise and one challenge. The promise was to withdraw entirely from the profession before I had reached my 'sell-by' date. Thus, by 2010, I had retired my co-editor role with the international journal Person-Centered and Experiential Psychotherapies, wound down my training work in Argentina, and delivered my 78th and final master class. My final assignment in 2010 was a pair of charity fund-raising workshops appropriately delivered alongside Professor Brian Thorne.

From 2011, I set about my challenge. I had always loved writing but now, the challenge was to switch genres and to use the structure of the novel to illustrate the variety of human developmental process and the ways people use relationship in support of their development. The first result is the Scottish novel, "Smoky Bacon Crisps: Finding the Edge of Life", published as an e-book on Amazon Kindle and in hard copy via "DAVE MEARNS - Smoky Bacon Crisps: Finding The Edge Of Life". Appropriately to the title of our event, the three central characters in the book begin the significant developments in their lives after they retire.

Book:
Smoky Bacon Crisps: Finding the Edge of Life – Dave Mearns - (April 2013)

Website:
DAVE MEARNS

Twitter:
@dave_mearns