Anthony Horowitz

Born in north London, Anthony Horowitz says, "I think I knew with certainty that I wanted to be a writer around eight." For birthdays, he asked for books, pens and a typewriter. His schooldays were not especially happy, more like something "out of Dickens or Dahl", and one reason he began writing books for young people was "to make up for the shortcomings of my childhood".

Anthony lives in north London with his wife Jill Green, a TV producer, and their sons Nicholas and Cassian. His whole family gets involved in his writing. Jill has produced several of Anthony's scripts, including the drama serial Foyle's War, which won the Lew Grade Audience Award in 2003. His son Cassian is already a seasoned actor, having appeared in three of his shows, and Nicholas, his oldest son, has helped Anthony to research the Alex Rider books by trying his hand at everything from scuba-diving to snowboarding and surfing!

Anthony's first novel was Enter Frederick K. Bower, published in 1979 when Anthony was just 23. He has since written many more and is also a prolific writer for television, film and theatre. He created Foyle's War and the popular series Midsomer Murders and has also worked on Agatha Christie's Poirot and Murder Most Horrid. His play, Mindgame, was produced in the West End and he has also written an adult novel, The Killing Joke. Anthony's phenomenally successful series of books about teen superspy Alex Rider have delighted children all over the world, and in 2003, Anthony was delighted to win the Red House Children's Book Award for Skeleton Key as it was voted for entirely by children. Anthony's supernatural series, Power of Five, which begins with Raven's Gate, was inspired by a simple thought. "Would it be possible to write something like Lord of the Rings - but to set it here, now, in the real world?" says Anthony. "Isn't it more exciting to imagine these great battles with all their magic and mystery happening in the very high street where you live, just out of the corner of your eye?"

Website: http://www.anthonyhorowitz.com/