I’ve been writing features for national magazines since the early 1980s. For fifteen years I was ‘Animal Agony Uncle’ for My Weekly. I have written over 200 articles for magazines such as She, The Lady, Best of British, Yours; and did a monthly page for Cat World and Parrots Magazine.
As for books, I haven’t written volumes, but here’s a list of those that have been published
1986 Love Your Kitten W.Foulsham and Co. Ltd.
1986 Love Your Puppy W. Foulsham and Co. Ltd.
2006 Pets in Prospect (hardcover) Robert Hale
2007 Pets in Prospect (Large Print) F.A. Thorpe
2008 Pets in Prospect (paperback) Paperback
There have also been Czech and Japanese editions of Pets in Prospect.
May 2011 Pets in a Pickle John Blake Publishing.
This a re-launch of Pets in Prospect
Paul Mitchell, a new veterinary graduate, starts work at a small animal hospital in Westcott-on-Sea near the South Downs in West Sussex. The practice is run by a Dr Crystal Sharpe and her husband, Eric. The practice receptionist is Beryl Wagstaff, the senior veterinary nurse, Mandy Fox, and the trainee, Lucy Gentle.
In a six-month period, June through to December, Paul learns to work with this team while dealing with a variety of clients and their pets. There’s a Mynah bird with a tumour; an out-of-work actress with a Maltese Terrier; a Major Fitzherbert with a wild cat; a bald cockatoo; some difficult horse owners of Dr Sharpe’s – Paul has to attend his first foaling; a farrowing; a Miss Mildred Millichip who does everything by the book – an ancient veterinary dictionary; and a visit to Westcott’s Wildlife Park where Paul helps Crystal to deal with a lame camel and later operates on a monkey with a tooth abscess.
He and Lucy move into the practice cottage in a Sussex village. Their relationship see-saws. They acquire a goose called Gertie; and rear a baby squirrel. Paul has to judge the pets at a local church fete; and gets involved with two sisters who run a farm nearby – attends a milk fever and a cow trapped in a gravel pit. Christmas Day, there’s a cat that’s swallowed a mouse followed by a Rottweiler that’s swallowed a Christmas stocking. The support and help Lucy gives at this time makes Paul realise his ‘Prospects’ for the future look good.
Reviews
VETERINARY TIMES
…it is good fiction…cheerful and brimming with ‘don’t go there, you idiot!’ type moments.
YOUR CAT
It’s a modern day James Herriot
WESTERN DAILY PRESS
Hail the new James Herriot
DAILY ECHO, BOURNEMOUTH
If you enjoyed the tales of James Herriot, you will enjoy reading this novel
THE SOUTHERN DAILY ECHO
…an amusing tale…with echoes of James Herriot, the main character gets into all manner of scrapes with the locals, both human and animal
WEST SUSSEX COUNTY TIMES
…young vet’s days in Sussex are brought back to life…a hilarious ride through the initial stages of his career
THE ARGOS, BRIGHTON
Welshman’s book is full of crazy antics as the young vet weathers his first six months in practice
QUOTES FOR PETS IN PROSPECT – PAPERBACK
‘If you enjoyed James Herriot you will enjoy Malcolm Welshman’s rollicking story of eccentric animals and even more eccentric humans.’
Celia Haddon, author and former Daily telegraph columnist
‘It’s a light-hearted “if you like animals you’ll like this, especially the two-footed variety” page-turner.’
Anna Raeburn, LBC Radio’s Book of the Week