Ray Crowther was born in London and now lives in Tolleshunt Major, Essex. He is married and has two daughters.

He read Cybernetics and Mathematics at Reading University and then worked in systems development jobs in England and Germany before starting his own company specializing in human resources software.

During his systems career he had technical papers published and wrote more reference manuals than he can remember. He maintains that the exacting discipline of technical authoring prepared him well for a creative change into fiction writing. He cites Robert Goddard as his favourite author and biggest influence on his own writing style.

Ray's first novel entitled The Nearest FarAway Place (ISBN: 0954111001) was completed in November 1999 and published in 2001. His second novel Panglossian (ISBN: 095411101X) was published in 2002 and awarded a Golgonooza Medal of Merit.

After a writing gap during which he sold his company, retired to the countryside and remarried, he completed his third novel Schoolfrenz, which is due to be published in November 2005. Ray also regularly writes articles for motor sport publications.

Outlines for three future novels, provisionally entitled Hidden Talent, Odd Jobs and Downfall or Destiny, are in-progress.

When he's not writing, Ray can be found competing in motor rallies, jogging his local lanes and footpaths (where most of his fiction ideas evolve), organizing table-top rallies or pegularities, designing websites, developing payroll software and farming chickens.

He connects the achievements in his life to running: running a successful company; running around after his two daughters Caroline and Rebecca; and running the London Marathon.

His books can be purchased from this website http://ray.crowther.name or at retail and Internet bookstores.