Phil’s novels draw on his years of experience in the field. You won’t find fantastic technology or impossible scenarios on these pages. He has a journalist’s eye for detail and the ability to make fiction believable.

“Many of my readers are currently serving in the military here and overseas,” says Phil. “Others are retired members. They like a good read, and I don’t want them shaking their heads in disbelief.”

Phil has served alongside a wide range of Australian and Coalition units. He has the personal experience, and plenty of contacts, to bring his plots alive.

“Like the characters in Tiger Stripe, I know what it’s like to be catapulted from a carrier. However, I’ve never flown an F111. So one of my technical advisors for Shooting Script has 1,000 hours on type.

“Former colleagues will always keep an author honest, especially if they work in the shadows. Their names may never make the credits but they expect me to get it right.”

Yet, in the end, it’s fiction, an adventure yarn. He’d still be a news reporter if the facts got in the way of a good story.