T E Taylor

Tim Taylor was born in 1960 in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent - home of Josiah Wedgwood, Robbie Williams, Phil 'The Power' Taylor (no relation) and Lemmy.  He grew up just outside the city in Brown Edge, then at the age of 11 moved to Longsdon, near Leek.

         Tim went to Newcastle-under-Lyme High School, then studied Classics at Pembroke College, Oxford. After graduating he moved to London and spent a couple of years playing guitar in a rock band. Having decided that he was never going to be a rock star, he sadly knuckled down and joined the Civil Service. He did a wide range of jobs in MOD and the Treasury, including Chief Executive of the Veterans Agency.  (Ironically, the band - neo-prog band Citizen Cain - later reformed in Edinburgh and have since released 6 albums, one of which, Ghost Dance, features Tim.) 

         Tim married Rosa Vella in 1994 and their daughter Helen was born in 1997. In 2001 they moved to Meltham, near Huddersfield, to be nearer family, and have lived there ever since.

         While still in the Civil Service Tim studied part time for a PhD in Philosophy at Birkbeck, University of London, finally achieving it in 2007.  A period of illness in 2007 caused him to re-evaluate his priorities.  He took a career break in 2009 in order to spend more time writing, and subsequently left the Civil Service altogether in 2011.

         Tim now divides his time between creative writing, academic research and part-time teaching and other work for Leeds and Huddersfield Universities.

         As well as fiction, Tim writes poetry and plays acoustic and occasionally electric guitar.  He is currently chairperson of Holmfirth Writers Group and is involved with several other local writing groups. He also likes walking up hills.