The Independent Story of the Year: The winner: 'I'm no Aga-hugger'

ROBERT RICHARD, 37, is an American-born businessman now based in Kent. He is a director of Pilgrims, which runs English-language courses and publishes language teaching books. He says he writes 'around the edges, early morning and late evening, and I haven't got family ties. I'm certainly no Aga-hugger in a cardigan, which is my idea of a writer of children's books.'

Robert Richard was born in Baltimore - where his story is set - but his family later moved to Europe. Robert has nine nieces and nephews under 14. 'They're the reason I write children's stories. I send them two or three a year.'

'I'd already planned to take a sabbatical to write in 1995. Now I can also eat in that time.'

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