My name is Bob Farrand and after five years of blood, sweat and tears, my first (and very possibly my last) novel, The Snake that Bites its Tail has been published and all my proceeds from the sale of the book are being donated to The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. The book is priced at £10.00 with a further £3.00 p&p. Once you have donated please let me know by email at bob.farrand@gff.co.uk and I'll arrange for your copy to be sent.

This is a cause close to my heart as two generations of my family have been blighted by Type 1 Diabetes. My dear brother and sister were sufferers for most of their lives and my daughter and her seven-year-old son, my youngest grandson are now also sufferers.

Research has improved the quality of life and life expectancy for Type 1 sufferers over the past few years but more work still needs to be done.