CHRIS HANNON

According to the bio on Amazon: "I met Roald Dahl when i was a shy, five year old at our village bookshop. Mum nudged me forward and i timidly offered a copy of The Giraffe, the Pelly and Me for him to sign, which he did. I remember a hunched man with wisps of grey hair and a gruff air about him, almost like one of his own characters. I don't think I said a word to him I was so frightened! But his stories inspired me to love reading, lose myself in fantastic stories, larger than life characters and new worlds.

Many false starts led me to do the dreaded Creative Writing Masters, which was actually like switching the light on. I've since had three Young Adult novels published, been finalist for the People's Book Prize (Orca Rising) and my first book for the grown ups is Dark Vet - a psychological crime thriller with a detective called Astrid Van Doren. And with a name like that... well, it's got to be worth a read.

And ambition? To one day be that wizened old author signing a copy of a book for a five year old, and spurring them into a career in writing! That would complete the circle."