KENT accountant Tim Levey has achieved his dream of becoming an author.

The 43-year old, who works with Canterbury-based firm Reeves and Neylan, has just unveiled his first book called "Profit Improvement in a Week".

It is one of several in an "In a Week" series backed by the Chartered Management Institute. Together, the titles have already sold more than a million copies.

Mr Levey, who lives in Canterbury with his wife and six-year old daughter, said: "I always knew there was a book inside me, and this is it.”

He also revealed that his first work took just two months to complete. But he now has the writing bug and plans to go on to create four more books, including two novels set in the business world.

Adrian Horwood, Medway manager for HSBC, a worldwide bank that recently came under fire for reporting profits of around £7bn, welcomed the book.

He said that profit had almost become a dirty word in Britain. "But without profits, no business can succeed and provide the jobs and economic success we all need," he added.

Mr Levey is a profit improvement specialist who helped develop a profits programme for clients of Reeves and Neylan and other firms.

He is on the steering committee of the Medway Small Business Awards, which includes Reeves and Neylan as a sponsor.

He does not expect to make a fortune from his debut work. Royalties are being paid to Reeves and Neylan, although he hopes some will come back to him.