Born just after the Second World War, John was brought up in the Greater London suburbs, for which he gained a healthy dislike. He also disliked school, which he demonstrated by failing most of his exams. He did like art school, however, and proved it by gaining an MA in design and illustration from the Royal College of Art. He then worked in illustration, mostly in advertising, for many years.

His first of many mid-life crises came in the late 1980s, when he left the profitable world of advertising to write children’s books (one of the first indications of oncoming madness). His first successful book, The Very Bloody History of Britain (Without the Boring Bits) was published by Piccadilly Press and since then he has written over thirty non-fiction titles for children.

A few years ago John branched into fiction, writing a three-inch-thick novel for adults, plus several teenage novels – again for Piccadilly Press – including Sequins, Stardom and Chloe’s Dad which gained the 2003 Portsmouth prize for the longer novel.

John divides his time between south London and south Devon. He still has no idea what he wants to do when he grows up!