Dr. Simon Morden, B.Sc. (Hons., Sheffield) Ph.D (Newcastle) is a bona fide rocket scientist, having degrees in geology and planetary geophysics. Unfortunately, that sort of thing doesn't exactly prepare a person for the big wide world of work: he's been a school caretaker, admin assistant, and PA to a financial advisor. Currently employed as a part-time teaching assistant at a Gateshead primary school, his main duties are house-husbanding a crumbling pile of Edwardian masonry, wrangling his two small children and providing warm places to sleep for the family cat.

His not-so-secret identity as journeyman writer started when he sold the short story Bell, Book and Candle to an anthology, and a chaotic mix of science fiction, fantasy and horror followed. Heart came out to critical acclaim, and Another War was shortlisted for a World Fantasy Award, but with the forthcoming The Lost Art from David Fickling Books, things have suddenly got serious. Contracts. Agents. Deadlines. Responsibility. Scary stuff.

As well as a writer, he's been the editor of the British Science Fiction Association's writers' magazine Focus for five years, and is a regular speaker at the Greenbelt Arts Festival on matters of faith and fiction. He was a judge for the 2006 Arthur C Clarke Awards, and hopes to win it next year...

A bibliography of Simon's work can be found here

If you want to contact Simon - either email him, or leave a message on his Horror World sponsored message board

Simon is represented by the very wonderful Antony Harwood.