A FORMER RAF pilot who became a successful author after writing to while away time on an airbase has been inspiring the younger generation.

Children’s author Mark Robson recently spent the day at Allertonshire School in Northallerton, where he spoke to students and gave writing advice.

The writer has published 13 fantasy and sci-fi titles since he left the RAF in 2005 to become a full-time author.

He told students his motivation to start was being grounded by bad weather when stationed in the Falklands. He also served in Kosovo, the Gulf War and Afghanistan.

“I was driving my navigator mad because I was bored,”

he told them. “He said ‘For goodness sake will you do something useful like write a book’, so I started and he loved it.”

After writing his first books, Mr Robson set up his own publishing company and sold books from his garage.

He sold so many that bookstore Waterstones found him a publisher and his novels now sell all over the world. His books include the Dragon Orb series.

He told students: “You need to find a passion because there are plenty of good jobs out there for people who want to work for them.”