Desmond Barry - London Noir

Desmond Barryis a rootless vagabond and the author of three novels, The Chivalry of Crime, A Bloody Good Friday, and Cressida’s Bed . He’s been published in the New Yorker and Granta . He grew up in Merthyr Tydfil and moved to London, where he lived from 1972–82. He currently teaches creative writing at the University of Glamorgan.

Dan Bennettwas born in Shropshire in 1974, and has lived and worked around London for the past eight years. He recently finished his first novel.

Ken Bruenis the the author of many novels, including The Guards, winner of the 2004 Shamus Award. His books have been published in many languages around the world. He is the editor of Dublin Noir and currently lives in Galway, Ireland.

Max Décharnéis the author of Hardboiled Hollywood, Straight from the Fridge, Dad, and three collections of short stories. His latest book is called King’s Road. A regular contributor to MOJO , he was the drummer in Gallon Drunk and since 1994 has been the singer with The Flaming Stars.

Joolz Denbywas born in 1955. She has been an outlaw biker, a punk rocker, a Goth queen, and is an academic in the field of body modification. She is an internationally respected poet, spoken word artist, illustrator, and author of the novels Stone Baby, Corazon, and Billie Morgan (nominated for the 2005 Orange Prize). Check out www.joolz.net.

Ken Hollingsis a writer living in London. His work has appeared in a wide range of journals and publications, including the anthologies Digital Delirium, The Last Sex, and Undercurrents , as well as on BBC Radio Three, Radio Four, NPS in Holland, ABC in Australia, and London’s Resonance FM. His mind-bending novel Destroy All Monsters is avail-able from Marion Boyars Publishers.

Stewart Homewas born in South London in 1962 and currently lives in East London. He is the author of twenty-one books, including the novels Slow Death, Blow Job, Come Before Christ & Murder Love, and Down & Out in Shoredtich and Hoxton, all of which might be considered twisted love letters to his home town of London.

Patrick Mccabewas born in 1955. His novels include Carn, The Butcher Boy, The Dead School, and Breakfast on Pluto . He has written for stage and screen and has just finished a new novel, Winterwood . He lives in Sligo, Ireland.

Joe McNallyis a journalist and photographer who has lived in London for ten years. He has worked on publications as diverse as Fortean Times and Take a Break. This is his first published fiction.

Mark Pilkingtonedits and publishes Strange Attractor Journal and has written for the Guardian, Fortean Times, Plan B, Arthur, and others. He is currently working on a feature documentary film and performs with experimental musical outfits including Raagnagrok, Stella Maris Drone Orchestra, and Disinformation. More info at www.strangeattractor.co.uk.

Sylvie Simmons,one the best-known names in rock writing, was born and raised in North London. She is the author of Serge Gainsbourg: A Fistful of Gitanes, the book J.G. Ballard declared his favorite of 2001. These days she writes for MOJO and the Guardian . Her latest book is the short story collection Too Weird for Ziggy , and her latest address is San Francisco.

Jerry Sykeshas twice won the Crime Writers’ Association’s Short Story Dagger. His stories have appeared in various publications on both sides of the Atlantic, as well as in Italy and Japan. He was born and raised in Yorkshire, but has lived in London for over twenty years. His first novel will be published in Fall 2006.

Cathi Unsworthmoved to Ladbroke Grove in 1987 and has stayed there ever since. She began a career in rock writing with Sounds and Melody Maker, before coediting the arts journal Purr and then Bizarre magazine. Her first novel, The Not Knowing, was published by Serpent’s Tail in August 2005.

Martyn Waiteswas born and brought up in Newcastle Upon Tyne in the northeast of England, but once he was able to make his own mind up about where he lived, moved to London. He now lives in East London, and his latest book is The Mercy Seat.

Michael Wardwas born in Vancouver in 1967 and grew up in Toronto before moving to Hull, East Yorkshire when he was eleven. He briefly studied philosophy at Leicester University and moved to London in 1987, where he soon gave up a promising career sorting mail for the British Council to play in a band. A chance meeting in a pub led him into journalism, a field in which he has worked as a freelancer since 1997. He lives in Notting Hill.

John Williamswas born in Cardiff in 1961. He wrote a punk fanzine and played in bands before moving to London and becoming a journalist, writing for everyone from the Face to the Financial Times. He published his first book, Into the Badlands, in 1991, and his next, Bloody Valentine, in 1994. Following a subsequent libel action from the police, he turned to fiction and has now written five novels, including the London-set Faithless .