Jon Blake is the author of over fifty books, primarily for children and teenagers. He was brought up in Southampton and now lives in Cardiff where he teaches creative writing at . He also offers creative writing tuition online at .

Jon’s successes include the picture book “You’re A Hero, Daley B” (ill. Axel Scheffler, worldwide sales of over 100,000) and “Little Stupendo” (shortlisted for the Children’s Book Award).

Other big sellers include “One Girl School” (over 35,000), Stinky Fingers House of Fun and literacy hour favourite “Mark Two”.

In 1995 Jon’s TV play ‘Life’ was shortlisted for a Writers Guild Award, while in 2002 he won a BBC Talent award for his adult radio sitcom “Degrees R Us” (series broadcast on BBC Radio Wales). Jon is particularly noted for original and anarchic humour, typified by the “House of Fun” series. However he has also written politically-charged fiction for an older readership.

Born in Mortimer, Berkshire, and living in Southampton between 1960 and 1973, Jon went to Exeter University, but dropped out from his drama course and worked in a furniture shop in Winchester before continuing studies at York University and Bretton Hall. He subsequently became a teacher and community centre warden in Peterborough and Nottingham.

Jon moved to Cardiff, Wales in 1987.

Besides being a writer, Jon has been involved in many community projects and teaches creative writing at the University of Wales, Newport. He is also an activist, musician and songwriter. In 2011 he collaborated with Mark Roberts (ex Catatonia) on the album This is the Sound of Adamsdown (). This features a range of Cardiff inner city residents.

Jon’s critically acclaimed 2008 novel, “The Last Free Cat”, has a website at .

In 2010 Walker Books published “Oshie”, whose hero, like Jon’s own son, has cerebral palsy.