The Dolphin Experience was my first published book. My formative experience of wild dolphins occurred at the age of four, when my family moved to Malta. We travelled by boat, a week-long journey, and I was fascinated by the dolphins and porpoises who accompanied us, riding joyously on the bow waves. The idea for the book was sparked after I watched Luc Besson's beautiful film "The Big Blue." A friend described how swimming with wild dolphins had been a transformative experience, and this intrigued me. I met up with cetacean experts and enthusiasts around the UK, and travelled to Ireland to swim with Fungie, the dolphin who has made his home around Dingle. After the book was written I moved to Ireland, and lived there for two years. When the book was published I was dismayed by the cover, which clearly showed a captive dolphin - an issue that I feel very strongly about. Fortunately Foulsham, my publishers, changed the cover when the print run sold out and I updated the research in the book and added to it.
