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In 2001, Moazzam Begg moved his wife and children from Birmingham to Kabul to begin a new job as a school teacher. After the war in Afghanistan that year, the family decided to wait out the hostilities in neighbouring Pakistan. But in February 2002 Begg was seized by the CIA in Islamabad.
Kristina Stephenson
Kristina Stephenson trained as a set and costume designer at the Central School of Art and Design. She worked for many years as a designer, writer and producer in the theatre and television, specialising in young children's programming for BBC and Channel 4.
Luisa Plaja
Luisa Plaja (pronounced 'playa' like the Spanish for 'beach') grew up in Sicily and Greater London with two languages and at least two cultures. She has lived in lots of places, including Boston, USA and all over England, and she currently lives in Devon with her family.
Lyn Gardner
Lyn Gardner was born in London. A theatre critic on The Guardian, she goes to the theatre five or six nights a week, which should leave no time for writing books at all.
Michael Broad
Michael is 38 and lives in London. He studied illustration at Portsmouth University earning 1st Class Honors and now works solely on writing and illustration books for children of all ages.
Rick Riordan
Rick Riordan is an award-winning mystery writer. He lives in Boston with his wife and two sons.
Russell Julian
Originally from Derbyshire, Russell has made his way via Cambridge to North-West London where he lives with his beautiful partner and three girls in a charming cottage (30’s semi) deep in the magical Crickle Wood.
Sally Nicholls
Sally Nicholls was born in Stockton, just after midnight, in a thunderstorm. She’s always loved stories, and spent her childhood trying to make real life work like it does in books.