A GOUROCK man is preparing to get his first taste of becoming a published author as he releases his debut novel.

Don Goodwin will be self-publishing his book, Feast, on Amazon in September.

The gothic thriller tells the story of a family who discover their ailing father needs a particular type of diet to survive.

Don, 63, started writing the tale when he took early retirement three years ago and says he feels very proud to be helping it come to life.

He added: "I retired at 60 and thought 'I need to do something'.

"I had the idea of writing a book kicking around my head for a while so I just thought, let's just sit down and start writing it. 

"I've decided to go for it and publish it myself."

Feast is set in the west coast of Scotland, 20 years after the Irish famine, and focuses on a family of Irish tenant farmers. 

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Don has created the town of Castle Levan, based on his home town, and added a lot of details which will be familiar to Inverclyde readers. 

Don was born in Midton in 1959 and went to Gourock Primary, Moorfoot Primary, Gourock High then onto Greenock Academy. 

He studied hotel management at the Glasgow College of Food Technology and moved to London when he was 19. 

Don was a partner in two Thai restaurants in London, both called The Pepper Tree, from 1995. 

He took a break from restaurant life in 2010 and joined British Airways cabin crew on the Caribbean route.

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Don, who now lives in Wandsworth, says people have told him that Feast could be adapted for film or television. 

The busy writer added: "I'm working on a screenplay just now so who knows where it will go. 

"I'm thinking about a follow-up to Feast, and I've already started another novel, a dystopian thriller set in Denmark."

Don still has relatives in Inverclyde and says he was really impressed by the revival in Gourock on his last trip to the area. 

He added: "My brother and sister are still in Inverclyde so I come back regularly. 

"It was great to see all the fantastic independent shops in Gourock, and to see the revamped pool."

Don says he 's really excited about taking his first steps in the literary world. 

He added: "I loved writing the book but it needed a lot of discipline to get it done. 

"I just hope people will enjoy reading it."