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Tom Palmer

As well as being a huge football fan, Tom Palmer has an international reputation in reader development. He is a coordinator of the Reading Partners consortium, works with The Reading Agency, Booktrust and the National Literacy Trust, and has been the official writer for the Premier League Reading Stars scheme for five years.

He also teaches annually for the Arvon Foundation, and has travelled around the world to train librarians and teachers in techniques to encourage boys to read. Foul Play is Tom's first book for Puffin, the first in the Football Detective series.

PLACE AND DATE OF BIRTH:
Leeds, 1st August 1967

FAVOURITE BOOK:
Crime and Punishment, Fyodor Dostoevsky

MOST TREASURED POSSESSION:
A small scupture my mum did at a night class

FAVOURITE SONG:
Mr Brightside, The Killers

FAVOURITE FILM:
Groundhog Day

When did you start writing?
When I was 18 or 19 (after not being allowed to do English Literature at school)

Where do you get your ideas?
Watching people and overhearing them. Memories from when I was younger. Football. Books.

Can you give your top three tips to becoming a successful author?
1. Write about what you are passionate about (e.g. football)
2. Read about things you're interested in
3. Be as honest as you can when you write

Favourite place in the world and why?
The Lake District, because I like hills and lakes and lots of space

What are your hobbies?
Watching football, playing tennis, swimming, walking, reading, loud music, playing with my daughter, talking to my wife, eating chocolate

If you hadn't been a writer, what do you think you would have been?
A milkman (it was my first job and I loved it)