Ann Pilling was born in 1944 in Lancashire, where many of her books are set.

Educated in Lancashire and at London University; her first ‘book’ was a thesis on the fiction of C S Lewis.

Taught English in High Wycombe.

Has been a full-time writer since 1981.

Has published over 30 books.

Won the Guardian Award for Henry’s Leg which was televised and has been broadcast on Radio 4.  Stan and On the Lion’s Side were Carnegie nominations.

Her books have been translated into many languages.

Has written mainly children’s fiction but has also published two adult novels with Hodder Headline; has edited several anthologies and done many re-tellings of traditional stories, including a children’s Bible.

Has written poetry from childhood and this is her first love (‘much less mess’, Alan Bennett, on writing poetry v. writing a play). Has been writing only poetry for the last 4 years. Was a first prizewinner in Ottaker/Faber poetry Competition, 2002, for The Removal, a prizewinner in the 2005 Open Yorkshire Poetry Competition for ‘Green Woodpecker’ and again in 2010 for 'Last Train', in the same competition shortlisted for New Wife. Prizewinner in the first Troubadour Poetry Competition 2007 for ‘Cold Toast’. 'Breasts’ published in The Forward Book of Poetry 2010, among ‘the best poems of the year from the Forward poetry prizes’.

Has been published in Acumen, Staple, Smith’s Knoll, The North, Yorkshire Journal, 14, Third Way, Resource.

One of four winners in 2007 Smith’s Doorstep Pamphlet Competition for ‘Growing Pains’, ( published April 2008); her first full collection, Home Field, was published in November 2008 Arrowhead Press.

Film project – an option has been secured and development money recently granted for a feature film of her ghost novel Black Harvest.

Ann Pilling lives in North Yorkshire. She is married to Sir Joseph Pilling, until 2005 Permanent Secretary of the Northern Ireland Office. They have two sons and six grandchildren.

Since 1987 she has owned a house in Swaledale and this valley is ‘the country of her heart’.

LIST OF TITLES

(books still in print or not published, in bold)

Adult fiction

A Broken Path Hodder 1991

Considering Helen Hodder 1993

Something To Do With Love ( ed) Lion 1996

Children’s Fiction

Ghost Novels (all published by HarperCollins)

1 Black Harvest 1983

2 The Beggar’s Curse 1984

3 The Witch of Lagg 1985

4 The Pit 1987

5 The Empty Frame 1997

Black Harvest, play version, with Nigel Grey ( Plays Plus) 1986

None-Ghost Novels

6 The Year of the Worm 1984, Penguin, reissued Lion 2000

7 Henry’s Leg 1985, Penguin, Guardian Prize, 1986

8 The Big Pink 1987, Penguin

9 On the Lion’s Side, Heinemann, 1988

1 0 Stan 1988, Penguin

11 Our Kid 1989, Penguin, reissued Lion 2000

12 Vote for Baz 1992, Penguin

13 Mother’s Daily Scream 1996, Penguin

14Amber’s Secret, HarperCollins 2003

15The Catnappers, HarperCollins 2005

Books for Younger Readers

16 No Guns, No Oranges Heinemann 1986

17 The Beast in the Basement, Heinemann 1988

18 The Boy With His leg in the Air, Heinemann 1989

19 Dustbin Charlie, Penguin 1988

20 Dustbin Charlie Cleans Up, Penguin, 1994

21 Getting Rid of Aunt Mildred, Ginn 1990, reissued 2004

22 The Friday Parcel, Blackie 1986

23 The Jungle Sale, Blackie 1989

24 The Big Biscuit, Hodder 1989

25 The Donkey’s Day Out, Lion 1990

26 The Baked Bean Kids, Walker 1994

Collections and Re-Tellings

27 Our Best Stories, ed ( with Anne Wood) Hodder 1986

28 The Kingfisher Bible, Kingfisher 1993,2003

29 The Kingfisher Treasury of Myths and legends, 1993,2003

30 Creation, Walker Books, 1997

31 Who Laid the Cornerstone of the World? Lion 1999

32 Love Stories, ed, Kingfisher 1997

Poetry

Growing Pains Smith/Doorstop Books 2008

Home Field Arrowhead Press 2008

Work in Progress

Watching for the Otter ( a second poetry collection)

The Dancing Sailors ( a memoir)