Brian John

Brian John was born in Carmarthen in 1940 and brought up in Pembrokeshire. He is married and has two grown up sons and two grandsons. He studied at Haverfordwest Grammar School and at Jesus College Oxford, where he read Geography, had a lot of fun and obtained his D Phil degree for a pioneering study of the Ice Age in Pembrokeshire.

When he was a student he led two University expeditions, to Iceland and Greenland, and thinks it is a minor miracle that he survived. He then worked as a field scientist in Antarctica and spent eleven years as a Geography Lecturer in Durham University. He has travelled widely, mostly in cold places.

In 1977 he and his family moved to a smallholding near Newport in Pembrokeshire, and since then he has made his living as a writer and publisher. He is also actively involved in environmental and community organizations. He has published hundreds of articles and around 80 books, and among his publishers are Collins, Pan, Orbis, Aurum Press/HMSO, Longman, Corgi, David and Charles, Wiley and Edward Arnold.

His published output includes university texts, walking guides, coffee table glossies, and books of popular science. Many of his titles have been published by Greencroft Books, and have been of particular interest to readers in Wales -- for example tourist guides, books of local jokes, walkers' handbooks, and titles on local folklore and traditions.

Then came the Angel Mountain Saga, which transformed his life as a writer. His first novel, called "On Angel Mountain", was published by Greencroft Books in 2001, and became an instant success. It has now been through seven print runs, and has racked up sales in excess of 25,000 -- not a bad total for a small "backwoods" publisher. There are now seven novels in the Angel Mountain series, and total sales of all titles are in excess of 65,000. Mistress Martha Morgan, the heroine of all the titles, has become something of a cult figure in her own right.

One other title which has caused a considerable stir in recent years is "The Bluestone Enigma" which casts a critical eye on the mythology surrounding the mysterious bluestones of Stonehenge.

Brian's other recent work of fiction is "The Strange Affair of the Ethiopian Treasure Chest" -- written for children in the 9-12 age group. This book is available in a Kindle version.

Now comes "Conspiracy of Angels" -- the eagerly awaited volume 8 of the Angel Mountain Saga. Publication at Easter 2012.