A FORMER Kinver schoolboy's debut novel about searching for a new life is proving a hit with readers.

Matt Rothwell's book, Drunk in Charge of a Foreign Language (The Diary of a Spanish Misadventure), tells how he chose to cope with a mid-life crisis as he approached his 40th birthday by travelling around Spain in a two-seater sports car with his wife Debbie.

The three-month camping trip became what Matt, who lives in Swindon, describes as a "disaster" when, after 30 days, Debbie asked for a divorce and got the next flight home.

He decided to continue with the trip and, after returning home to buy a laptop computer, he journeyed back to Spain for a further four months to write his book.

The novel, which has been described as certain to appeal to the Bridget Jones generation, is now in the top ten bestsellers list on booksellers Waterstones website for travel writing about Spain.

Matt said: "Believe it or not, it is a comedy, I started it as means of coming to terms with the whole episode. Then I realised the comic potential of the situations I had found myself in. I thought they were stories worth telling."

The book describes his encounters with drunken British tourists and ex-pats, ex-pat swingers clubs, lonely middle-aged women, brothels, transvestites and drug-taking beggars.

Matt says the novel uncovers the dark underbelly of the holiday country and things tourist information guides never mention.

The former musician, who was a member of 80s bands Incee Wincee Spider and Mercenary Tree Freaks, is currently working on a new novel.

Matt said: "The second book is coming along, I'd like to say nicely but have to say slowly, although, I haven't lived the second half of it yet. I'm off on another Spanish road trip in June."

Drunk in Charge of a Foreign Language is published by Ametralladora, priced £7.99 and available from Waterstones or direct from the author at www.mattrothwell.com