Please welcome Richard Foster to my blog. Hello Richard, shall we chat as we drink our afternoon tea?
1. Please introduce yourself to those reading this blog post.
I’m Richard Foster, author of “STOP, POLICE!” a memoir about growing up in Rochdale, my time in uniformed policing stationed at Portsmouth for a decade and then collapsing on duty while working in serious and organised crime, surviving a sudden brain haemorrhage that changed everything. I now live on the south coast in the UK and split my time between writing, cybersecurity work, and raising awareness of AVMs and brain haemorrhage recovery.
2. Has writing always been part of your life and when did you “know” that it was time to start writing your first book?
I’ve always loved storytelling, from telling stories around campfires at scout camps to family get-togethers. But I didn’t seriously consider writing a book until after my brain hemorrhage. That experience forced me to slow down and reflect on the life I’d lived, the policing years, the people I’d met, the humour, the trauma, and the resilience. I wanted my children to know who I was (other than dad) when they got older. I also realised I had a story worth telling, not just for family but for anyone who’s interested in true crime, policing or whoever has had to rebuild their life.
3. How difficult was it to write your first book?
It was both cathartic and challenging. Reliving certain moments, especially the medical emergency and some of the tougher policing experiences wasn’t easy. But the writing itself flowed once I committed to being honest. It only took 4 years! I was helped greatly by my editor in creating a polished book that would be enjoyable to read. It became enjoyable towards the end. I wanted the finished product to feel like I was having a chat with someone in the pub. I wanted it to feel relaxed and personal.
4. Have you ever wanted to give up and what stopped you?
Yes, more than once. Imposter syndrome is real, especially for first‑time authors. What stopped me was remembering why I started: to leave something meaningful behind for my children, to show others that recovery is possible, and to honour the people who shaped my life and career.
5. Who is the most supportive of you and your dream to be a writer?
My biggest supporters have been Janet, my wife. She has always had my back and my editor David Meikle, also a Sunday Times bestselling author who totally believed in the project from the start. Their encouragement kept me going when the self‑doubt crept in.
6. Anything specific you want to tell your readers?
Thank you to everyone who bought the book. Genuinely it is lovely to read every message, review or shared photo.
7. What is the best advice given to you (book or otherwise), and by whom?
The best advice I received was simply: read lots of books before writing your own. It wasn’t said by one single person, more a message repeated by writers I admire. Immersing myself in other people’s stories, their rhythms, humour, and craft. This helped shape the way I approached my own memoir. It reminded me that good writing starts with being a good reader.
8. What is your target audience and what aspect of your writing do you feel targets that audience?
My book speaks to readers who enjoy true stories, policing memoirs, resilience narratives (especially medical), and honest accounts of life-changing events. I write with humour, openness, and a very human perspective, something that resonates with people who want authenticity rather than a polished, heroic version of events. Most of the book is set in the 1980s-1990s, and it became apparent that so much has changed since then. So, it also appeals to those who like a bit of 90s nostalgia!
9. Did the cover evolve the same way, or did you work with someone to make it come together for you?
I am very lucky that Chris Stone, my brother-in-law, is a well-established graphic designer. I provided a brief that was to create a cover that captured both the policing world and the personal journey behind it, so the cover includes iconic landmarks from my life such as, Rochdale Town Hall, The Twin Towers in NYC, The Tricorn centre and Spinnaker tower in Portsmouth.
10. What are you working on now? Can we get a peek, an excerpt?
I’m currently working on promoting the book. Writing the book is the easy bit! 😂 I do have outlined plans for a series of fiction books, all with a policing theme, but it is still very early days.
11. Any last words before we wrap things up?
Thank you for inviting me to chat with you on your blog. I really appreciate it and that people like yourself are here, trying to help new authors be heard and helping readers find great books to read! Also, a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has supported STOP, POLICE! so far. Being a first‑time author is daunting, but the response has been overwhelming in the best way. I hope readers continue to find something meaningful, funny, or comforting in the book.
About the author
Richard grew up in Rochdale, near Manchester. In the early 1990s he became a police officer in Portsmouth, Hampshire. Richard loves storytelling. He has discovered, over the years, that people love finding out what it is like to be a police officer. Richard is an experienced public speaker at commercial events, universities and smaller community organisations. He delivers talks on cybercrime and ransomware as well as his own incredible experiences and fascinating details about policing history.
Author page, https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/author/B0GTPNS4PY/about?ingress=0&visitId=7c47d95e-d607-4a8d-9253-b0a99dab2963
website, https://www.richard-foster.net
Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/richardfosterauthor/
Twitter, https://x.com/RichF_book
Goodreads, https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/197414143-richard-foster
Amazon, https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1068292407
My book link, https://mybook.to/stoppolice
TikTok, https://www.tiktok.com/@richardfosterauthor
Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/richardfoster_author/
Bluesky, https://bsky.app/profile/richardfosterbooks.bsky.social
Pinterest, https://uk.pinterest.com/fosterauthor/
YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/@RichardFoster-Author
When Angels Fly 