Our Authors.

DR JENNIFER ASHCROFT is a clinical psychologist who has recently retired from the NHS and now works privately. In addition to her clinical practice during the last 30 years, she was also Director of the Doctoral Programme in Clinical Psychology based at Lancaster University. One of her specialist areas is treatment of adults with mental health difficulties, including those related to anxiety.

She gained her PhD in psychology from the University of Wales and then did her clinical psychology training based at the Institute of Psychiatry, University of London. She is a Fellow of the British Psychological Society.

Hobbies include:

• books (favourites – The Blind Assassin; The God of Small Things)
• music (favourites – Verve; Muse; Leonard Cohen; Nick Cave)
• comedy (favourites – Russell Brand, Peter Kay)
• TV (favourites – Six feet Under; Dexter)

Publications to date:

Numerous academic papers (many related to psychosocial effects of breast cancer); articles in Slimmer magazine in the 80s, plus three books:

• Ashcroft, J.J. & Owens, R.G. WEIGHT CONTROL IN PREGNANCY (Thorsons, 1986).
• Ashcroft, J.J. & Owens, R.G. WATCH YOUR CHILD'S WEIGHT(Oxford University Press, 1987).
• Ashcroft, J.J. & Ashcroft, J.B.  THE PSYCHOLOGY OF WEIGHT CONTROL - 'GET SLIM AND STAY SLIM' (Oxford University Press, 1989). This book is also published in Italian, Spanish, and Malay.
• ANXIETY: AN ESSENTIAL GUIDE (Need2Know Books, 2011).

MARK BEAUMONT is a music journalist and author who is best known for exposing Keith Richards’ dad-snorting habits in NME during his decade-long tenure as staff writer but has also contributed to The Times, The Daily Express, The Guardian, The Mail On Sunday, Uncut, Melody Maker, Loaded, The Modern Review and Vox. He’s often to be spotted bitching about celebrities on Sky One programmes called things like When Pop Stars Get Pissed and published his first music biography Out Of This World: The Story Of Muse via Omnibus in October 2008 – his second, on Placebo, was published in April 2009 and his latest, on Jay-Z is due to be published in 2012. Somehow over the past 18 years of full-time band-destroying he’s had time to pen five novels, the latest of which, the shocking and controversial Three Minutes, is currently under construction, concerning an amorphous narrator who lives in people’s bodies for the last three minutes of their lives. Mark Beaumont, the music journalist and author, would like to make clear that he has never once cycled the world, although he is considering cycling Leeds.

Books:

• OUT OF THIS WORLD: THE STORY OF MUSE (Omnibus, October 2008).
• PLACEBO (April, 2009).
• JAY-Z (Omnibus, pub 2012).

SAM BOMPAS & HARRY PARR are the founders of Bompas & Parr, a fine jelly company that makes bespoke moulds and hosts spectacular culinary events. Sam & Harry have worked with some of the world’s leading architects including Lord Foster, Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners, Sir Nicholas Grimshaw and Will Alsop designing jellies. Heston Blumenthal has worked with them to create the world’s ultimate wobbly jelly for his series Feast.

Their projects include a jelly banquet for over 2000 people, a glow-in-the-dark dessert chamber for Mark Ronson’s birthday and hosting the UK’s first breathable G&T cocktail at an installation called Alcoholic Architecture.

Books:

• JELLY WITH BOMPAS & PARR (Pavilion, Anova, June 2010).
  US Publisher: Sterling Epicure, May 2011.
• COCKTAILS WITH BOMPAS & PARR (Pavilion, Anova, September 2011).
• FEASTS WITH BOMPAS & PARR (Pavilion, Anova, Sept 2012).

JANINE BULLMAN's first book ‘Punk Fiction’; an anthology of short stories based on Punk songs has received great reviews and was published by Portico in April 2009. She is currently studying for an MA in Creative Writing and has spent the last ten years working as press officer to pop stars. She currently lives in East London with her husband and nutty cat. She also writes for Mojo and Record Collector magazines.

Books:

• PUNK FICTION (Portico, April 2009).

LEE BULLMAN's true crime book ‘Blowback’ was published by Pan Macmillan in spring 2009 and he is currently researching his second. He lives amongst an ever growing collection of sensationalist paperbacks with his motorcycling wife and their elderly cat in East London. He recently gave up smoking and is happy to announce he currently has no outstanding warrants for his arrest.

Books:

• BLOWBACK (Pan Macmillan, February 2009).

CATHY BUSSEY graduated from the London School of Economics in 2002 and set about building a career as a journalist. Her first job was trainee reporter for her local newspaper, attending major crime scenes and crown court cases one day and village fetes and parish council meetings the next.

Cathy has worked for a range of weekly and daily newspapers and magazines and written extensively on social affairs, women's issues, health, lifestyle, media and PR. She is currently features editor at PR industry 'bible' PRWeek, known for frequently out-scooping the tabloid and broadsheet press and having access to behind-the-scenes operators in industries ranging from City finance to Whitehall to showbiz. She also writes for other publications and websites on a freelance basis.

Cathy's hobbies include horse riding, cycling, cooking and reading everything from feminist literature and Jane Austen to glossy magazines and celebrity blogs. She lives in Streatham, south London with her husband Noel.

Books:

• BRILLIANT PR (Prentice Hall/ Pearson Education, pub. May 2011).
• WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU WIN THE LOTTERY (Golden Guides Press, pub 26 January 2012)

SHARON BYRNE is a playwright, screenwriter and novelist. She is currently working on her next screenplay with co-writer Melissa Garner called ‘The Trophy Shop’. Sharon lectures at the University of Kent in Writing for Stage and Screen and independently, teaching Fiction and Poetry for a mental health charity known as Together. Sharon has a BA in Creative Writing from Middlesex University. GUTTED, an adaptation from the play, THE BLUECOATS, was short listed at the Moondance Film Festival in 2007.

Plays:

• ‘THE BLUE COATS’ produced and directed by Sharon Byrne as part of ‘Wordfest’ for the Canterbury Festival.
• CHARLIE’S WAKE, produced and directed by Anne O’Leary, at the Finborough Theatre, London.

TRISTAN DONOVAN is a journalist who has worked for a wide range of publications and websites.

He has written extensively about video games, social affairs and charities, and is currently the research editor of Third Sector Research, a market research division within the Haymarket Media Group.

His first book, REPLAY: THE HISTORY OF VIDEO GAMES, was published by Yellow Ant in 2010 and has repeatedly been described as the definitive history of the medium. A Danish translation of Replay will be published by Forlaget Herrevaerelset in 2011.

Tristan regularly writes about games for The Times and Stuff. He has also written about games and other subjects for The Guardian, The Gadget Show, The Big Issue and Edge among others.

He enjoys music, skiing, HBO-style TV series, video games and rolling down hills.

BOOKS:

• Replay: The History of Video Games (Yellow Ant, April 2010).
  Danish Publisher: Forlaget Herrevaerelset

NICK FITZHERBERT developed his interest in magic midway through a 20-year career in PR consultancy. The more he learned about magic, the more he realised how powerful many of the psychological principles that lie behind the tricks could be in business. Achieving membership of The Magic Circle enabled Nick to refine his thinking and develop the ‘Rules of Magic’ – principles that come instinctively to the best magicians and prove equally effective in business.

The Rules form the backbone of training programmes that Nick delivers to sales, marketing and finance teams for companies such as Halifax and Conde Nast, industry organizations including Chartered Institute of PR and CPD Foundation, and a variety of leading PR companies. In the media Nick has been seen on BBC2’s Working Lunch, heard on the Chris Evans Show and read in publications including Management Today, the Guardian and Business Life.

Books:

• PRESENTATION MAGIC! (Marshall Cavendish, pub July 2011).
  Korean Publisher: Between Lines.
  Complex Chinese language rights: China Times Publishing.
  Simplified Chinese Rights: Shanghai Xiron Media Co., Ltd.
  Indonesian Rights: PT Elexmedia Komputindo
  Brazilian Portuguese language Publisher: Elsevier Brazil

LINDA FLYNN currently works as a Head of English and PR at a school in Middlesex. In that capacity she has she has been interviewed on the television, radio and newspaper. This has included: The Times, BBC Breakfast with Bill Turnbull and Kate Silverton and Five Live with Nicky Campbell, as well as being seen very briefly on The One Show.

She has recently had a humorous children’s book published, Hate at First Bite, which features a rescue dog, Dude and his shaky alliance with Plonker the cat. Linda has had six educational books printed with the Heinemann Fiction Project. In addition she has written for a number of newspapers and magazines, including theatre reviews and several articles on dogs. She has had two short stories published with Bridge House: an adult story, To Take Flight in the Going Places anthology and The Wild Ones for teenagers in Devils, Demons and werewolves. A further two children’s stories: The Secret Messenger and Timid Tim were published in the Hipp-O-Dee-Doo-Dah anthology to help to raise money for the Children’s Hospices UK alongside contributions from Blue Peter Award winners Lauren St. John and Alan Gibbons, with a foreword from Michael Morpurgo.

Her website is www.lindaflynn.com

Books:

• TO TAKE FLIGHT - GOING PLACES (Bridge House, 13th July 2010).
• HATE AT FIRST BITE (Flamelily Books, 30th July 2010).
• THE WILD ONES (Bridge House, 15th October 2010).
• HIPP-O-DEE-DOO-DAH – TIMID TIM and THE SECRET MESSENGER (Bridge House, May 2011).
  

ANOTHONY GALVIN is one of Ireland’s most experienced crime journalists. His account of the Limerick drug war, Family Feud - Gangland Limerick Exposed, was Ireland’s top selling non-fiction book of 2004. It was also the most shoplifted book in Ireland. He has written a few true crime books, as well as ghosting two memoirs.

Anthony is also a professional magician, and has toured extensively, including more than a dozen winter seasons in Lapland. He has written Teach Yourself Magic, as well as a guide to public speaking. He once broke the world record for the longest public lecture.

He lives in the south of Ireland with two children and five rats, and is working on a thriller. In his spare time he enjoys hiking in wild and mountainous regions, and hopes to bring those areas alive in his thrillers.

BOOKS:

• FAMILY FEUD - Gangland Limerick Exposed (Hodder Lir, 2003)
• NO ONE HEARD ME CRY (with John Devane) (Hachette, 2007)
• INSIDE MAN (with Philip Bray) (Gill & McMillan, 2008)
• THE CRUELLEST CUT - WOMEN WHO KILL (Gill & McMillan, 2009)
• TEACH YOURSELF EASY MAGIC TRICKS (Hodder Education, 2010)
• PUBLIC SPEAKING (Need2Know Books, 2011)
• DEATH & DESTRUCTION ON THE THAMES IN LONDON (Golden Guides Press, pub TBC).

CLARE GEE has written for The Guardian, Sunday Times, Cosmopolitan, Mail on Sunday and various other magazines.

Her bestselling fictionalised memoir, HOOKED, was published in May 2010. The title is set in London during the 90s and early 2000s. The book is filled with explicit depictions of the naughty antics that go on in so-called private members’ clubs in the Capital: drugs, sex, prostitution and lots and lots of booze and let’s not forget the very real aftermath of excessive indulgence.

Nothing is held back. She tells her story in a brutal and humorous manner bringing to life the emotional collapse that can ensue when someone chases happiness in the wrong places.

Aside from writing Clare temps in offices around London and some of her favourite things are: sleep, music, ice-cream, laughter, Shalimar perfumed body lotion, spontaneous weekends away preferably away from a city, but failing countryside – anywhere hot will do! 

Books:

• HOOKED (Mainstream, May 2010).
• UNHOOKED (Mainstream, Spring 2012).

KIM GILMOUR has been a technology journalist for more than ten years. Her interest in all things internet-related emerged after she discovered the web while sitting in her university's computer lab back in 1995. (One of the first websites she ever visited was the Internet Movie Database.)

Born in Sydney, Australia, Kim completed an undergraduate journalism degree at Charles Sturt University in western New South Wales, before moving to London in 2000. She enjoys writing about how the internet can benefit society and has written for Which? Computing, Web User, Computer Shopper, Internet Magazine and Practical Photography.

In her spare time Kim enjoys independent travel (in 2007 she travelled overland from London to Bangkok and has also visited the micronation known as the Sovereignty of Sealand, which consists of a disused WWII gun platform). Her other interests are photography and writing - she's self-published a novel for teenagers, called Drive to Nowhere.

Her website is at www.kimgilmour.com.

Books:

• EBAY BUSINESS ALL-IN-ONE (Wiley, 2009) with Steve Hill.
• PHOTOGRAPHY FOR THE OLDER AND WISER (John Wiley, January 2010).
• STARTING AND RUNNING AN ONLINE BUSINESS FOR DUMMIES (John Wiley, Oct 2011).
• SPOTIFY FOR DUMMIES (John Wiley, pub. 16 December 2012)

E.A. HANKS lives in Brooklyn, New York. She is currently at work on her first novel for children, Piper Peregrine Vs. The Consortium For Better Thinking which is due out Autumn 2011 from Delacorte (Random House, US). She previously worked at Vanity Fair Magazine and was an Associate News Editor at the Huffington Post.  She also blogs at Impudent Ways, which you shouldn't hold against her. She has a hypothetical long-haired Daschund named HUAC and a hypothetical one-eyed cat named Grimm. She looks forward to the day when her pets stop being imaginary.

Books:

• PIPER PEREGRINE VS. THE CONSORTIUM FOR BETTER THINKING (Random House US / Delacorte, pub. TBC.).

SARAH HERMAN is a very bright young writer. Sarah holds a 1st class degree in Journalism and has worked for Summersdale Publishers, and as an assistant editor for Titan Publishing Group. Her first book DOES ANYTHING EAT SHIT has sold more than 30,000 copies and continues to sell very well.

Books:

• Audio book narrator credits for Summersdale: GET TOP MARKS IN YOUR EXAMS AND GAP YEAR VOLUNTEER (2007).
• I LOVE BABIES: AND OTHER LIES HE’LL TELL TO GET YOU INTO BED (Summersdale, 2008).
• DO WORMS HAVE WILLIES? (co-author, Summersdale, 2008).
• THE UNOFFICIAL FACEBOOKER’S SOCIAL SURVIVAL GUIDE (co-author, Summersdale, 2008).
• DOES ANYTHING EAT SHIT? (Summersdale, 2008).
• CLASSIC GUIDE TO ASSASSINATIONS (Golden Guides Press, pub 19 January 2012)
• LEGO: BUILDING A HISTORY (Remember When, pub. 16 February 2012).

NICOLA HILL is the author of THE PINK GUIDE TO GAY ADOPTION (BAFF May 2009). She is a co-founder of gay-friendly-wedding-venues.com, an award winning website that helps gay men and lesbians plan their big day.

A former Guardian journalist and graduate of the London School of Economics, Nicola has worked for a number of charities in fundraising and publications departments and runs a freelance editorial service. She lives with her partner, Laura McCaffrey in north London.

Her website is www.everythingeditorial.co.uk

Books:

• A VERY PINK WEDDING: A GAY GUIDE TO PLANNING YOUR PERFECT DAY (HarperCollins, 2007).
• THE PINK GUIDE TO GAY ADOPTION (BAFF, pub. May 2009).
• GAY ADOPTION BOOK 2 (working title), (BAFF, pub TBC).

STEVE HILL is a technology journalist, author and lecturer. Steve has worked as a journalist for over ten years before moving into academia. He held senior editorial positions at EMAP and Paragon Publishing, before being appointed as senior lecturer at Southampton Solent University. He now lectures in electronic publishing on the journalism degree at Solent University. His research interests include: convergence journalism and modern magazine production methods. He continues to write on a freelance basis. He has also written for the Sunday Express, The Independent, News Statesman and New Media Age. Steve holds an undergraduate degree from UWE Bristol, a postgraduate journalism diploma from Highbury College, Portsmouth and is studying for an Mprof in Media Practice.

Books:

• 201 ESSENTIAL INTERNET TIPS (Paragon Publishing, 1999).
• EBAY.CO.UK FOR DUMMIES (with Collier & Hoskyn, Wiley, 2007).
• EBAY BUSINESS ALL-IN-ONE (Wiley, 2009).

ISABEL HOOD'S cosmopolitan childhood guaranteed a lifelong love of food and a deep interest in the cuisines of the world. She was brought up in Mexico and steeped in its intensely flavoured, palate-tingling aromatic cooking from a very early age - her strongest childhood memories revolve around a kitchen heady with the pungent smell of chilli, onion and coriander; of tasty tortas stuffed with chicken, refried beans and guacamole in her school snackbox; of dishes of steaming, savoury enchiladas or tacos for lunch - although it could just as easily be shepherd's pie, and Sunday was always celebrated with roast beef and Yorkshire pudding.

She ran her London catering business, Chef to the Connoisseur, for many years and, after a long stint in the travel industry, working extensively in the Mediterranean region, she is now a freelance private chef and a food writer. She loves to immerse herself in the cuisines of the world and delve into their origins and traditional or indigenous ingredients, thereby acquiring extensive knowledge of food and cooking and recipes from the four corners of the earth – she cannot think of a more rewarding, fulfilling and enriching way to live her life!

Her first cookery book, Just The Two of Us – Entertaining Each Other, was published in 2006 and is a collection of recipes developed to feed her own household, which consists of just her husband, known as the Saturday Night Porker, and herself. Chilli and Chocolate – Stars of the Mexican Cocina followed in 2008 and is a celebration of the glorious food of her childhood.

Isabel's third book, VEGAN COOKBOOK - THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE, was published by Need2Know books in September 2011. Having eaten a mostly vegan diet throughout her adult life, Isabel sets out to prove in this book that veganism has nothing to do with denying oneself gastronomic pleasure and wearing a culinary hair shirt, and that the glass, far from being half empty, is full to the brim, full to overflowing with mouth watering possibilities and a way of eating which is limited only by our imaginations.

Books:

• JUST THE TWO OF US - ENTERTAINING EACH OTHER (Foulsham, 2006).
• CHILLI AND CHOCOLATE - STARS OF THE MEXICAN COCINA (2008).
• VEGAN COOKBOOK - THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE (Need2Know, 2011). (preorder)

ROBERT KELSEY is an expert in failure. Fear of failure. His new book WHAT IS STOPPING YOU? explores the fears that prevent many people from reaching their potential, as well as charts a course that can help people achieve their goals. WHAT IS STOPPING YOU? is Robert's second book. His first (THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS) was published in 2000 by Transworld and hilariously recounted his ill-fated move to New York as an investment banker in the 1990s. Robert is also an entrepreneur. He gave up banking in 2000 to start an incubator for start-up companies, which was sold in 2003. And since 2002 he has been the founder and CEO of an innovative financial public relations company based in the City of London with clients including banks, private equity funds and ratings agencies. This combines his two core experiences of financial journalism (exercised prior to becoming a banker) and banking (although he confesses to being a "crap banker", a failure he analyses for the purposes of his new book). He lives in London with his wife Lucy and boys George and Eddie.

Books:

• THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS (Bantam, 2000).
• WHAT'S STOPPING YOU? (Capstone/Wiley, 2011, second edition published March 2012). Foreign rights sold in Germany, China, Poland and Spain
• WHAT'S STOPPING YOU? BOOK TWO (Capstone/Wiley, pub. TBC)
• WHAT'S STOPPING YOU? BOOK THREE (Capstone/Wiley, pub. TBC)

SALLY LEWIS is a published author, editor and freelance health and medical writer with strong press and public relations contacts in national and regional media. Sally has experience in broadcasting and teaching.

BOOKS:

• BACK IN SHAPE A HEALTH AND DIET PROGRAMME FOR POSTNATAL MOTHERS (Hamlyn, August 2000).
• THE MENOPAUSE – FOOD SOLUTIONS (Hamlyn, March 2001).
• PREGNANCY WEEK – BY – WEEK (Hamlyn, September 2005).
• THE WAIST LINE PLAN (Hamlyn, 2007).
• STOP SMOKING FOR DUMMIES (Wiley, March 2008).
• SHAPE UP SIZE DOWN (Hamlyn, April 2009).
• COPING SUCCESSFULLY WITH ACNE (Sheldon Press, June 2009).
• 50 THINGS YOU CAN DO TODAY TO MANAGE FERTILITY (Summersdale Publishers, pub. Feb 2011). Indian and Serbian rights sold.

ROSE MANNERING is a young English writer, who writes romantic novels for teenagers. She lives in Kent with two Miniature Schnauzers, several wardrobes of clothes and too many books. She loves collecting first editions, watching old Hollywood movies and shopping for vintage clothes.

Check out her website and blog for more info.

BOOKS:

• IT'S ALL MAKE BELIEVE (Meadowside Books, pub 2013).

LAURA MATINE is an illustrator based in Cambridge. Since graduating from Cambridge School of Art, Laura has balanced her time between illustrating and running her own design company. She has just finished working with Keith Souter illustrating his book, MEDICAL MEDDLERS, MEDIUMS AND MAGICIANS: THE VICTORIAN AGE OF CREDULITY for the History Press.

ILLUSTRATIONS:

• THE POCKET GUIDE TO DICE AND GAMES with Dr Keith Souter (text) Remember When (Pen & Sword, pub 2012).
• MEDICAL MEDDLERS, MEDIUMS AND MAGICIANS: THE VICTORIAN AGE OF CREDULITY with Dr Keith Souter (text) (History Press, pub 1 March 2012).

FIONA MCDONALD is a classically trained artist whose passion for toys manifests itself in the compulsive making of dolls and puppets. Her life size cloth and mixed media figures have received international acclaim and are eagerly sought after by collectors (thank goodness because they take up a lot of room at home).  

Fiona took time off from making things to have a passionate affair with the works of Dante Alighieri, the medieval Italian poet. This much needed intellectual stimulus has resulted in a frantic writing spree attempting to bring her two great loves together: literature and visual art.  Incongruous as it may seem, BABES IN THE WOOL is one of several offspring to come from this union.  

When Fiona is not writing or making things she teaches a special class of super naughty children of which she claims to be the naughtiest of all.

www.fionamcdonald.com.au

BOOKS:

• BABES IN THE WOOL (Search Press, May 2010).
• KNITTED ALIENS (Search Press, June 2010).
• A HISTORY OF TEXTILES Remember When (Pen and Sword, pub. July 2011).
• KNITTED FAIRIES (Search Press, pub. August 2011).
• GOTHIC KNITS (Search Press, pub. December 2011).
• BRITAIN IN THE 1920s Remember When (Pen and Sword, pub. TBC).
• GENTLEMEN ROGUES AND WICKED LADIES (History Press, pub. 1st September 2012 ).
• OTHER WOMEN: THE HISTORY OF THE MISTRESS (History Press, pub. 1st June 2013).

CHILDREN'S ILLUSTRATED BOOKS:

• GHOST DOLL & JASPER (Skypony, pub. November 2012)

ILLUSTRATIONS:

• THE LITTLE BOOK OF GENIUS with Dr Keith Souter (text) (History Press, pub 2011).
• THE LITTLE BOOK OF GOLF with Dr Keith Souter (text) (History Press, pub. 1 September 2012)

RAJASHREE is a bestselling Indian author and award-winning film-maker. She has been a film buff since she was a kid - she stood in a line for five hours to get tickets for the cult Hindi film Sholay when it was re-released. She has been working in Bombay after studying direction at the Film and Television Institute of India, Poona. A film she wrote and directed, The Rebel, was screened at many film festivals, and won the National Award and the Golden Ten Award. Her critically acclaimed first book, Trust Me, is a lighthearted romantic comedy set in the Bombay film industry. According to figures given by The Times of India and The Sunday Telegraph, Trust Me is the biggest-selling Indian chick lit novel. Her website is www.rajashree.in.

Books:

• TRUST ME (Rupa) (World, excluding Indian subcontinent rights are available).

JOHN ROBB was born in Blackpool and is an author, musician, TV and radio presenter, journalist, record label boss and producer. Fired into action by punk rock in 1977 Robb formed the critically acclaimed band the Membranes and edited his own fanzine, which was one of the best selling UK zines of the eighties. He started writing for the now defunct Sounds music paper in 1986 writing the first pieces on Nirvana, the Madchester scene and covering music all over the world whilst coining the term 'Britpop' in 1988.

After Sounds stopped in 1992 Robb went on to become a well known face on music documentaries on TV and radio as a pundit and presenter and co-produced eaten part history of punk rock TV series. He also fronted a new band, Goldblade, who have released several albums and continue to tour the world. 

He has written several books including the best selling biog of the Stone Roses, THE STONE ROSES AND THE RESURRECTION OF BRITISH POP, the definitive guide to nineties pop culture, THE NINETIES - WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT ALL ABOUT? and the critically acclaimed and best selling PUNK ROCK - AN ORAL HISTORY. Last year he released two books, THE NORTH WILL RISE AGAIN, an oral history of the Manchester music scene, and DEATH TO TRAD ROCK, an account of the eighties UK noise underground scene that Robb was involved in with the Membranes. Robb continues to be a well respected journalist and has just launched a new label in Manchester, Modern English, and will be making his acting debut on TV in 2010.

Books:

• THE STONE ROSES AND THE RESURRECTION OF BRITISH POP (Ebury Press, 1997).
• THE NINETIES - WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT ALL ABOUT? (Ebury Press, 1999).
• PUNK ROCK - AN ORAL HISTORY (Ebury Press, 2006).
• THE NORTH WILL RISE AGAIN (Aurum Press, 2009).
• DEATH TO TRAD ROCK (Cherry Red Books, September 2009).

GABRIELLE ROBINSON, born in Berlin and educated in Germany, England, and the US, is a writer of both academic and popular books and essays. After a career as professor of English, she recently published a book on local history, a biography, and essays on the coffeehouses and wine bars of Vienna. Her most recent work, THE RELUCTANT NAZI: SEARCHING FOR MY GRANDFATHER, is a memoir. It juxtaposes the struggle of her grandfather to survive in Berlin 1945, based on his diaries, with her memories of the post war years spent with him, and her probing questions about German guilt and suffering.

Books:

• THE RELUCTANT NAZI: SEARCHING FOR MY GRANDFATHER (History Press, May 2012).

PHILIPPA RAE AND STÉPHANIE ROHR are the joint creators of COUNT THE SHEEP TO SLEEP - a quirky counting book for young children. Philippa has worked for BBC Children's Radio for a number of years producing programmes. Credits include the Big Toe Radio Show (BBC 7), Go4it (Radio 4) and more recently Cbeebies Radio (BBC 7). She has had short stories published in children's anthologies published by Bridge House (An Advent Calender of Stories, Hipp-o-dee-doo-dah). She has had success with her short stories and poetry in competitions including being a finalist in the poetry section of the Brit Writers Awards Unpublished 2010 which had thousands of entries.

Stéphanie is a bright new French illustrator with a passion for children's books. Her unique style earned her a distinction for her Bachelor degree at the Art and Design Communication School in Paris. Stéph's fresh and quirky illustrations perfectly compliment Philippa's off-beat humour. This is their first book together.

Books:

• COUNT THE SHEEP TO SLEEP (Skypony Press, Spring 2012).

A. J. ROUND was born in Belfast but grew up in Glasgow. She read English at Oxford University and lectured at King’s College, London for nine years. She has won prizes for poetry and short stories, including the 2002 Sid Chaplin Short Story Competition, and studied screenwriting at the London College of Printing.

She is currently working on her second novel, and plans for future works include a dark story of betrayal set in New Zealand, a political thriller based in Northern Ireland in the early ‘70s, and a novel about love, faith and obsession amid the chaos of contemporary London.

She lives with her partner, who is also a writer, and their two Russian Blue cats. When not writing she enjoys music, reading, road running and snowboarding.

KEITH SOUTER is a part time doctor, medical writer and novelist. He is married with three grown-up children and lives within arrow-shot of Sandal Castle, the scene of two of his historical crime novels. He has published eleven medical books, several of which been translated into six languages, and eleven novels in three genres. He is a member of the Crime Writers Association, the Society of Authors, the Medical Journalist's Association and International Thriller Writers. He also enjoys the challenge of micro-fiction and has won a couple of short fiction prizes, including the 2006 Fish One-Page Historical Prize. Apart from writing, he enjoys good books, fine wine, cinema and walking. You can find our more about Keith at www.keithsouter.co.uk. 

Books (medical):

• CURE CRAFT (C.W.Daniel, 1995).
• NOT JUST A ROOM WITH A BATH (C.W.Daniel, 1995).
• GET WELL SOON (C.W.Daniel, 1996).
• DOCTORS’ LATIN (Robert Hale, 2006).
• SELF-HELP FOR RHEUMATISM AND ARTHRITIS (Sheldon Press, July 2010).
• 50 THINGS YOU CAN DO TODAY TO MANAGE BACK PAIN (Summersdale Publishers, pub. Feb 2011). Indian, Serbian and Brazilian rights sold.
• AN ASPIRIN A DAY (Michael O'Mara Books, pub June 2011). Italian publisher: DeAgostini.

Books (fiction):

• (Westerns, writing as Clay More)
  • RAW DEAL AT PASCO SPRINGS (Robert Hale, 2004).
  • NEMESIS FOR THE JUDGE (Robert Hale, 2004).
  • DOUBLE-DEALING AT DIRTVILLE (Robert Hale, 2005).
  • A ROPE FOR SCUDDER (Robert Hale, 2006).
  • STAMPEDE AT RATTLESNAKE PASS (Robert Hale, 2007).
• (Crime, writing as Keith Moray)
  • THE GATHERING MURDERS (Robert Hale, 2006).
  • DEATHLY WIND (Robert Hale, 2007).
  • MURDER SOLSTICE (Robert Hale, 2008)
  • FLOTSAM AND JETSAM (Robert Hale, 2010).
• (Historical Crime, writing as Keith Souter)
  • THE PARDONER’S CRIME (Robert Hale, 2008).
  • THE FOOL’S FOLLY (Robert Hale, 2009).
• (Children's Fiction)
  • CURSE OF THE BODYSNATCHERS (G-Press, pub June 2012).

Books (non fiction):

• NOW YOU'RE TALKING! WHAT TO SAY WHEN YOU'RE TONGUE-TIED AND TERRIFIED (Hodder Education, Pub. July 2011).
• SCHOOLBOY SCIENCE REMEMBERED (Remember When, Pen & Sword, Pub. July 2011).
• THE LITTLE BOOK OF GENIUS (History Press, Pub. October 2011).
• THE POCKET GUIDE TO DICE AND DICE GAMES (Remember When, Pen & Sword, Pub. 2012).
• MEDICAL MEDDLERS, MEDIUMS AND MAGICIANS: THE VICTORIAN AGE OF CREDULITY (History Press, Pub. 2012).
• THE LITTLE BOOK OF GOLF (History Press, pub. 1 September 2012)
• CLASSIC GUIDE TO KING ARTHUR (Golden Guides Press, pub 21 March 2012).

FEARGUS O’SULLIVAN is a London-born writer and journalist. His first book, a collection of recipes from films called PULP KITCHEN, was published by Boxtree in October 2007. He writes weekly as restaurant critic for The London Paper and is a regular contributor to several other newspapers and magazines, having written major pieces for The Guardian, as well as a weekly column on food and film for The Times. Beyond his writing experience, he also worked as a lecturer in film history, an events curator for the National Film Theatre, a cultural adviser for a warlord in the Caucasus, a walking tour guide and a book dealer. He lives in London and Berlin.

Books:

• PULP KITCHEN: RECIPES FOR THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE HUNGRY (Boxtree, October 2007).

BETHANY STRAKER is an illustrator and designer working in Kent and London. She has illustrated for magazines throughout her career for Disney, CMP Information, Bliss magazine, the National Magazine Company and GoGo’s Crazy Bones. She has recently left Titan publishing as studio manager to pursue a more varied and creative freelance career. You can see some examples of her work on her website, www.bethanystraker.com

ILLUSTRATIONS:

• ZOMBIE CAT: THE TALE OF A DECOMPOSING KITTY with Isabel Atherton (text) (Skyhorse, pub. October 2012).

IAN TILTON, based in the North West of England began his career in the eighties taking pictures of bands as diverse as Guns N Roses, Iggy Pop and The Stone Roses. His shot of an exhausted and tearful Kurt Cobain was hailed by Q Magazine as one of the 6 best rock photographs of all time - while his photo of the Stone Roses frontman Ian Brown with an orange in his mouth has gone down in rock n roll photographic legend. In addition to his continuing interest in music photography, Ian has become a sought-after theatrical photographer, working regularly in theatre across the UK.

BOOKS:

• STONE ROSES: I WANNA BE ADORED with Claire Caldwell (text) (Omnibus, Pub. TBC 2012).

SALLY TISSINGTON is a writer and artist who has just completed her first novel, CAROUSEL (working title), which will be published by G-Press in June 2011. This haunting, unforgettable book is about how a monstrous carousel in a back garden dominated the lives of three generations of women and the men they loved, forcing them to face their weaknesses and relationship with each other. 

Also an artist, Sally’s exhibitions were set around huge advertising billboards with magical fairy tales written on them. She lives in Warwickshire with her husband and two sons. CAROUSEL is her first novel.

BOOKS:

• CROCODILE ON THE CAROUSEL (G-Press, Pub. June 2012).

LAURA WALSH is a leading speaker to groups of all ages across the country. She had a twenty year addiction to prescription painkillers and alcohol. Her addiction began when her baby daughter tragically died of cot death. Laura turned to painkillers for a way of numbing the pain, however, this addiction destroyed her life, family and relationships. At the depth of her despair all of Laura's family had walked away and she was about to become homeless.

Laura's story has given hope to others suffering in similar situations as well as those who may not be struggling themselves, but who are watching the battle of a loved one's substance abuse. Laura is a true testament to the idea that you can turn your life around - no matter what you're going through, you simply need to take it one day at a time.

Laura is now the director of three companies with a turnover of over half a million pounds per year and author of the forthcoming book ASHAMED. She has appeared on This Morning, in Closer Magazine and been heard in many radio interviews. Laura divides her time between her busy work schedule and spending time with her family, which now includes three beautiful granddaughters.

Laura is a firm believer of The Law of Attraction, which emphasises focusing on the things you want in life in order to achieve them.

Laura's website

BOOKS:

• ASHAMED: A MOTHER'S STORY (Mainstream, Pub. June 2011).

DEE WEAVER is Northumbrian but now living in Yorkshire, which is about as far south as she wants to be. About twenty years ago, after an eclectic career path, she settled in an ethical wholefood distribution company which is among the most successful workers’ co-operatives in the UK.

Her current passions (apart from reading and writing, obviously) are ghosts, history, rock music, Formula 1, and Jacobean embroidery.

In the summer of 2001 she started learning the craft of novel writing. Drawing on her varied experiences in veterinary medicine, interior design, and the occult, the result is THE WINTER HOUSE, a paranormal romance set in North West England.