Born in Cheshire in 1928, Robert Leeson was a journalist for forty years, interrupted by army service in Egypt. He began to write for children in the 1960s and has had over 65 books published including ‘The Third Class Genie – now a Collins Modern Classic- and The Demon Bike Rider. In 1985 he received the Eleanor Farjeon Award for services to children’s literature. Married, with a son and daughter, Robert lives in Hertfordshire.
Phyllida Law has appeared in numerous plays, television series and films, including Peter’s Friends, Much Ado about Nothing, Foyle’s War and Kingdom. She was married to Eric Thompson, the writer and narrator of the English version of The Magic Roundabout, until his death in 1982. She has two daughters, Emma and Sophie.
Penelope Lively is a novelist, short story writer and author of children’s books. Her novels have won several literary awards including the Booker Prize for Moon Tiger in 1987, the Carnegie Medal for The Ghost of Thomas Kempe in 1973, and the Whitbread Award for A Stitch in Time in 1976.
Sarah Lean grew up in Wells, Somerset but now lives in Dorset with her husband, son and dog. She has worked as a page-planner for a newspaper, a stencil-maker and a gardener, amongst various other things. She gained a first class English degree and became a primary school teacher before returning to complete an MA in Creative and Critical Writing with University of Winchester. A Dog Called Homeless was her first novel.
Katherine Langrish grew up in Yorkshire, studied English at university and has always enjoyed writing and telling stories. Married with two daughters, Katherine lived in France near the edge of the Forest of Fontainebleau, where she ran a storytelling group for children. She has also lived in New York State, near the Finger Lakes, said by Native American legends to be the hand-print of the Great Spirit. Katherine currently lives in Oxfordshire and is enjoying her life as a full-time author.
