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Hello, I'm Dean Horton, author of the Semiotic Networks. Born September 20th 1970, I grew up in an area of the West Midlands called Hurst Green, to me it was Neverland and I was Peter Pan. I've always possessed a vivid imagination and in Hurst Green I think this gift flourished!
It was a tough childhood, my Mom had brain tumours removed when I was five years old and the operation went wrong so she lost the use in the left hand side of her body. Later on she contracted a disease called neurofibromatosis where lumps began to form on her nerves. Her condition became worse year by year losing her hearing when I was twelve then her sight when I was thirteen, just after this she lost the use of her legs; it was a tough time for me and my Dad.
I found it emotionally and psychologically hard back then mixing everything going on in my life; looking after someone disabled while still trying to have a childhood and then came school (Leasowes High School) and looking after yourself like washing, ironing and cooking. Dad worked in the day but when he came home from work it would enable me to go out on a night and hang around with my friends. In those days I had a group of special friends who if I'm honest I probably wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for them. They helped me cope back then, helped to pull me through the dark days and I will forever be in their debt. I also held paper rounds both morning and night!
After Mom lost her sight and hearing we had to communicate through sign language spelling the words on her hand so a conversation could take quite a long time but she never gave up fighting she learnt herself how to read braille and then the blind society gave her a braille typewriter. She went on to type some poems which were published in the blind magazine; I still have a typed printout of these poems today.
I have a fantastic family, I'm the luckiest man on the planet, I love them with all my heart a gorgeous wife Rachel who is also my best friend and soul mate; two beautiful daughters Carrieanne 19 and Melody 6 and a handsome son Kieran 16 not forgetting my trusty other best friend 'Fudge' our chocolate Labrador and now 'The Horton' household has two tortoises Winston and Churchill; my family are the best thing that have ever happened to me, I'm so proud of them all and they help to keep my feet firmly on the ground!
Although me and my Dad had our disagreements during my teenage years we have always been close and I respect him like a son should, he married again a few years ago to Jo, a woman who I'm proud to call Mom, he deserves every happiness.
I work in the Steel Wire Industry as a Works Manager; I started out in this industry working as a machinist and have worked my way up the ladder over the last twenty years taking every opportunity that came my way. During this time I always dreamt of writing a book I think watching Mom type on her braille typewriter back in the dark days must have given me inspiration to do it myself one day!
My mind is a buzz with stories and here is my first 'The Semiotic Networks' a story that I first thought about 8 years ago while putting some Christmas lights on the front of our house and as I'm scared of heights I started to think about falling off the ladder! I'd always wondered why we have to switch our phones off when we go into a hospital and the two ideas seemed to go with each other; although it took me a long time to finally have a go at writing. The project actually took 15 months to write; I started it in September 2009. I usually spend one hour per night writing and a few more hours on a weekend and now this is finished I'm working hard on my next project.
That's me summed up on a page and a bit! I hope that you enjoy 'The Semiotic Networks' and the concept that it poses. Thanks for reading!
Dean
