Graham Marks

Graham has spent his whole career in children's publishing, firstly as a designer and Creative Director and latterly as a journalist and author. His first published work was a book of poetry, Seeing is Touching (Taurus Press), which came out whilehe was studying Information Graphics at Harrow School of Art. For some reason, he didn't see this as a sign of things to come and didn't write anything else for years.

Graham has worked for Marvel Comics writing scripts (which was his storytelling apprenticeship), done an eight year stint as a copywriter in an advertising agency (where they pay you more for writing less) and was the Children's Editor for Publishing News until it's closure in 2008. He has also written a number of TV and film-related books, including SpiderMan, Wallace and Gromit, Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet and Judge Dredd.

Bloomsbury have published his critically acclaimed YA fiction, including Radio Radio, How It Works - South Lanarkshire Book Award winner, 2005 ¬- Zoo, Tokyo - Catalan Young Adult Fiction Award , 2009 - and Omega Place.

Usborne publish his thrillers for the 8-12 age range, including Snatched!, Kaï-ro, I Spy: The Constantinople Caper and its sequel Mean Streets: The Chicago Caper.

Meanwhile Catnip have republished new and revised editions of the books he wrote in the mid-90s: Strange Hiding Place, Faultline, Takedown (previously titled Skitzo) and Playing with Phyre (previously titled Haden's Quest). He has also written for Barrington Stoke (Bad Day) and has a new Franklin Watts 'Edge' title - Payback - coming in September.

A regular on the festival circuit, both as a performer and Chair, Graham also takes his workshops and talks to schools all over the country and is a member of the Author Profile training team. He contributes author interviews to Writeaway and Books for Keeps.