Grant Budge

Grant is an engineer, entrepreneur, adventurer, environmentalist and author. He is the first to profess that life is for living and also the first to testify to how easy it can be to get derailed from that philosophy amongst humanities noise.

Grant values family and friendships, knowing all good journey’s require companions. Is passionate about music, though remains a frustrated singer and rhythm guitarist. Has an interest in the occult and horror, collecting an array of unusual movie memorabilia from the genre. Loves experiencing different cultures and embracing more traditional ways of living.

He has also been a long-time supporter to Wellchild, the UK charity for sick children and following his own experiences, has become an advocate for the positive impact on mental health that creativity can bring.

Fay Granville-Hitchman

Fay was born in Liverpool, before moving to Rhodesia at the age of six. From there, she moved across the country with highly dysfunctional parents, collecting weird and wonderful stories that have now become her first publication, The Scorpion House. Moving back to the UK at the age of 16, she had no formal education and close family in the country. She met her husband, Alan, at the age of 23, and together they had a successful career in hospitality and three wonderful children.

Fay originally began writing as the result of a computer purchased by her husband, not wanting to waste his money, she began to write down stories from her extraordinary childhood. It was never begun with the intention of having it published, as she believed it would simply be of potential interest for her children and later grandchildren. 

Despite her lack of education, she has always been a keen writer of short stories. Having a natural ability as she has been published in various magazines. Once winning a two week trip to America by entering a writing competition, in which she described Californian wines sold in Sainsbury’s. On another occasion, as the result of telling the story of the trips Fay and her friends took in the early sixties down in the cellar called The Cavern in Liverpool where we knew the Beatles, she was lucky enough to win a watch.

Fay now lives in Bristol, close to her three children, Sally, Penny and Dale. And her five Grandchildren, Millie, Poppy, Alice, Jemima and Ned. She spends her time playing bridge, lawn green bowls and is a self-proclaimed “Netflix subscriber”.

James Hawkins Woodward

Born in Birmingham in 1961 but now situated in Cornwall, James is a father to one, a second father to two, an grandfather to five and a devoted husband to one.

At his early age, James gained a scholarship to attend Worksop College in Nottinghamshire, dedicated to the arts. After leaving, he trained to be a designer at the Matthew Bolton College of Print, Art and Design in Birmingham, before joining Mastrom Limited; a lithographic print company owned by his father but changed careers later in his life.

James has always had a passion for words, art and music, believing whole heartedly in their wellbeing for the soul which he strongly incorporated into his life. James played drums for the eighties band called Whizz for Atoms which reached number twenty in the French singles chart. As an artist, James regards his art as vaguely offensive and often politically incorrect.

Amit Ghattaure

Amit Singh Ghattaure was born in Leeds, his Indian parents moved from East Africa in 1967. Amit honed his love of writing from a young age whilst looking after his parents shop, spending most weekends sat behind the till. He has a degree in English and Media from Huddersfield university and currently works in the media industry.

Amit has always had a love of writing and reading, he enjoys all forms of storytelling from films and television to comic books and novels.

Favourite book

“My favourite book is Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk. The film may have eclipsed its origins but the book is equally as thrilling and thought provoking.”

Maddie Hopper

Maddie was born in Leicester, before moving to London in 2014. She now works across several industries, including sustainability, publishing, and charities. She is a keen traveller and has explored many countries, including Australia, Africa, Indonesia, India, and America. 

Maddie’s passion for children’s literature began during her degree in English Language and Communications at Oxford Brookes University. She was fascinated by the way children learned and developed language skills. She then began writing during the COVID lockdown where she used this as a way of escapism from what was happening in the world. 

Maddie is also a keen reader and loves discovering new authors. Her favourite book is The Humans by Matt Haig!

Shirley Armitage

Shirley came to England in the early 70’s from her native country, Trinidad, to pursue a career in nursing. Shirley found her profession very rewarding not just from caring for others, but in meeting people from many walks of life.
Shirley is married to her husband Jonathan, and has two delightful children Timothy and Charlotte as well as a granddaughter, Lilia. Due to family circumstances Shirley branched out in other fields beyond nursing such as a civil servant and a college invigilator.
Shirley’s stimulation to help others has caused her to be involved in charity work and fundraising. Her goal in life is to inspire, be inspired and have pride and ambition in everything she aims to achieve.