Joe studied Philosophy at Cambridge University (Emmanuel College), graduating in 2002. While there he wrote and performed with the Cambridge Footlights and co-hosted a show on the University radio station. As well as being the author of the Jimmy Coates action-adventure series, he is a songwriter/musician. He has performed at various venues in London, and made a self-produced CD of his pop material. (You can hear the songs through his website.) In 1999 he won Most Promising Young Writer at the Vivian Ellis Prize for his first musical. In 2002 he wrote the music for 'Told You So', which ran in London over Christmas. It was a family show adapting Aesop's fables, co-written with acclaimed playwright John Finnemore. He has also written the music to several other shows which have run on the London and Edinburgh fringe. He coaches cricket at his local club (Brondesbury CC), where he runs the Under Elevens. They came second in the league this year - and had a lot of fun along the way. His other interests are - music, watching films, reading, collecting frogs, eating lunch, cooking, Aesop's fables, dancing Tango, playing poker, painting, eating Haribo Sweets, playing five-a-side football and cricket.