After studying English at Keble College in Oxford, Alan Durant worked as a publicist at Scope and a copywriter for Walker Books before becoming a full-time author. His first books were inspired by his teenage experiences, but since then he has written science fiction, thrillers, poetry, non-fiction and picture books. Alan is National Reading Campaign Reading Champion and a frequent visitor to schools, libraries and festivals around the UK and abroad, where he gives talks and runs writing workshops. A member of the Society of Authors, Alan has won the Portsmouth Children's Picture Book Award, the Stockport Children's Book Award, the Royal Mail Award for Scottish Children's Books and the 2009 Portsmouth Children's Book Award.