Mark Huntley-James started writing in his teens - just because he likes stories, reading them, telling them, writing them...

He trained as a physicist and worked in R&D for a number of years before moving to commercial software development and now lives on a smallholding on the edge of Bodmin Moor with his partner, multiple cats, chickens and a flock of rare-breed sheep.

In between all of that he learned to clog dance, spent weekends as a pikeman in 17th century battle re-enactments and kept bees for several years. 

In 2013 he won first place in the British Fantasy Society Short Story Competition.

The most important thing he has learned from rural life is that when you are in a hole, start taking notes because there is bound to be a story there somewhere.

He also blogs for the One Million Project at https://theonemillionprojectcom.wordpress.com/