Former drug addict turned bare-knuckle fighter pens his first novel after autism diagnosis
A former Black Country drug addict turned bare-knuckle boxer has penned his first novel a year after being diagnosed with autism.
The rollercoaster life of Shaun Cheadle, 38, has seen him twice divorced, addicted to class A drugs, imprisoned and just seconds away from a bare-knuckle world title.
However, now living a few doors away from where he was brought up in Coseley, Shaun has fulfilled a lifetime ambition of publishing a novel.
He said: "I've had a story in my head since I was a teenager but I wanted it to be a film. However, you cannot just write a script now so I thought it would make a novel.
"Because of the life I have led a lot of people thought I would write an autobiography but instead I've written a love story set in the 1980s and involves all the different music which was around then."
Bound by Blood is set in Hull, Yorkshire, and follows the story of star-crossed lovers Jack and Pippa.
Shaun, also known as Shaun Cheesa, said: "My 11-year-old daughter lives in Hull so I know the area quite well and I wanted to include some characters which are very Yorkshire by nature. If you think of Harry Enfield's Yorkshire character who 'says what he likes, and likes what he says' then one of the characters is similar to that, and that provides a lot of laughter.
"However, it is also a story of how your past can come back and bite you on the bum when you least expect it."
And Shaun believes his life experience can help him become a renowned novelist.
He said: "I've had some real ups and downs over the years. I was a class A drug addict for six years and ended up in prison for six months as a result of that. And when I got out I needed something to focus on so became a bare-knuckle fighter.
"I fought for a world championship at the O2 seven years ago and nearly won, however, I got my jaw broke in the process."
Laying tarmac for a living gave Shaun time to formulate the storyline in his head, before he took the plunge and began writing.
He said: "After I first put pen to paper it took me about three years to finish my novel. I am very proud of it, I showed it to an author friend of mine and they put me in touch with Amazon who have published it.
"I am hoping it will be turned into a film but I already have the storyline for my next book which I will start in the new year."
Shaun finally found the missing piece of his mental jigsaw last year when he was diagnosed with autism.
He said: "I had spent 37 years on the planet undiagnosed, and soon as I found out, a lot of stuff made sense. I went to Coseley High School and autism was never mentioned once, things could have been a lot different if I had known what was wrong with me all those years ago.
"I hope to set an example out there for anyone who feels like they are stupid, or different, or a problem, then it is never too late to tackle your own mental health problems."
Bound by Blood is being published on November 1 and can be pre-ordered on Amazon.
