About the author

Mike Crowl

<p>Mike is the author of three standalone fantasies for children, and one non-fiction book for adults. A fourth children&#8217;s fantasy is being written at this point.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>His first piece of fiction was written at school when he was very small, and surprised his family with its unexpected inventiveness!</p>&#13; &#13; <p>His first children's book, <em>Grimhilda!</em>, is based on a musical he co-wrote and produced in 2012. He is also a composer of songs and piano pieces, and has acted as musical director for a number of productions over the last twenty-five years.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Mike's non-fiction book, <em>Diary of a Prostate Wimp</em>, started life as a series of blog posts, and is based on his own experience.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Mike has written for various magazines and newspapers. He spent five years writing a weekly column, until he was summarily dismissed for penning something the editor didn't agree with. He has been a blogger on up to seven blogs at one time since 2006.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>He has been happily married for nearly forty-five years, has five grown-up children and twelve grandchildren. Though born in Melbourne, Australia, he has lived most of his life in the vibrantly literary city of Dunedin, in New Zealand.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>***</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Cherianne Parks worked with Mike Crowl on the first three of the books in the <em>Grimhilderness </em>series. Much of what is good in each book came from Cherianne, and is always an improvement over what the author first thought of. She is a great believer in &#8216;You can do better.&#8217;</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Such is the nature of collaboration. Long may it last.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>The cover illustration is by Regan Nicholls.</p>&#13; &#13; <p/>