Tales Carved in Dust and Fire
Tales Carved in Dust and Fire
Philip Monckton was born in 1961 in Croydon, South London. His father, George, was a quiet, hardworking painter and decorator, while his mother, Rose, created a warm and steady home, keeping the family fed and cared for. As a boy, Philip leaned more toward technical subjects than the written word, never imagining he'd one day become a writer.
After leaving school, he worked a variety of jobs before joining the Royal Air Force as an avionics technician. It was during those years in uniform that Philip developed a deep love of reading—particularly Westerns. With writers like Louis L'Amour by his side, he read every chance he could, captivated by stories of resilience, family, and survival on the frontier.
He began writing short stories while serving in the RAF, though he lacked the confidence to share them. Years later, he published poetry and even won a small prize—a quiet validation that the words had been there all along.
Now, as the author of Forged Love and the Forged Frontier series, Philip combines his passion for history, character, and landscape to tell bold, emotionally grounded stories that honour the voices that once inspired him.