What inspired Robert swindells too write stone cold?

The inspiration behind Robert Swindells' novel "Stone Cold" came from his own personal experience of living near the M6 motorway in the northern part of England. The constant noise and pollution from the motorway affected his family's quality of life, and he became interested in the theme of noise and its impact on people's lives.

Another source of inspiration was a real-life incident that occurred on the M6 motorway in the 1970s. A truck driver fell asleep at the wheel, resulting in a fatal accident that killed several people. This incident made Swindells think about the vulnerability of people who traveled on motorways and the dangers associated with heavy goods vehicles.

Moreover, Swindells was influenced by the social and economic changes that were happening in the UK during the 1980s, including the rise of unemployment, poverty, and social unrest. He wanted to explore how these issues affected young people and the challenges they faced in finding hope and meaning in their lives.

By combining these personal and societal influences, Swindells created the dystopian world of "Stone Cold," where the environmental, economic, and social pressures on society come to a head, leading to a breakdown of law and order.