Joe Craig
Encyclopedia
Joe Craig is an English
writer, children's novelist and musician
.
He is best known for the Jimmy Coates
series of books, which is sometimes compared to the work of Jack Heath (Six of Hearts) or Anthony Horowitz
(Alex Rider
), and described in several reviews as 'The Bourne Identity for kids'.
, where he attended University College School
. He went on to study philosophy
at Emmanuel College, Cambridge
where he wrote and composed music for the Cambridge Footlights. In his final year at university he was head-hunted by Shell Oil but in the same week was offered a job composing a musical for the London stage. He turned down Shell to pursue a career in music, composing scores for theatre and TV productions.
In 2002 he provided the score for Told You So, a musical adaptation of Aesop's fables
, with book and lyrics by John Finnemore, but in 2003 he moved away from the theatre
to write pop material and to perform as a singer-songwriter and jazz
musician.
In the same year he started work on his first novel, a thriller for children and young adults, and in 2004 he signed a two-book deal with HarperCollins Children's Books
. His first book was one of the biggest selling children's book debuts of 2005 in the UK.
In 2008, he married broadcaster Mary Ann Ochota
.
to build a fanbase and enhance fans' experience of his writing, using character profiles as well as his personal pages to create an online world that reflected that of his books. He was also one of the first children's writers to utilise Twitter
as a means of communicating with fans and creating new stories. He continues to use both, as well as experimenting with new kinds of author videos and book trailers on video sites, such as youtube
.
Shortly after the UK publication, Craig's first book was released in the United States
under the title Jimmy Coates: Assassin It was a finalist for the 2006 Manchester Book Award
, and won the Bolton Children's Book Award
2006.
The seventh book in the series will be titled Jimmy Coates: Blackout.
The eighth and final book in the series will be titled Jimmy Coates: Genesis.
Previously, in his country song writing pursuits, Craig had taken on the stage name Craig Travis Williams.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
writer, children's novelist and musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
.
He is best known for the Jimmy Coates
Jimmy Coates
Jimmy Coates is a series of children's books written by the English author Joe Craig.. The books have been published in many countries around the world but were never widely available in the United States....
series of books, which is sometimes compared to the work of Jack Heath (Six of Hearts) or Anthony Horowitz
Anthony Horowitz
Anthony Craig Horowitz is an English novelist and screenwriter. He has written many children's novels, including The Power of Five, Alex Rider and The Diamond Brothers series and has written over fifty books. He has also written extensively for television, adapting many of Agatha Christie's...
(Alex Rider
Alex Rider
Alex Rider is a series of spy novels by British author Anthony Horowitz about a 14-15 year old spy named Alex Rider. The series is aimed primarily at young adults. Nine novels have been published to date, as well as three graphic novels, three short stories and a supplementary book...
), and described in several reviews as 'The Bourne Identity for kids'.
Biography
Craig was born and grew up in North LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, where he attended University College School
University College School
University College School, generally known as UCS, is an Independent school charity situated in Hampstead, north west London, England. The school was founded in 1830 by University College London and inherited many of that institution's progressive and secular views...
. He went on to study philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
at Emmanuel College, Cambridge
Emmanuel College, Cambridge
Emmanuel College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge.The college was founded in 1584 by Sir Walter Mildmay on the site of a Dominican friary...
where he wrote and composed music for the Cambridge Footlights. In his final year at university he was head-hunted by Shell Oil but in the same week was offered a job composing a musical for the London stage. He turned down Shell to pursue a career in music, composing scores for theatre and TV productions.
In 2002 he provided the score for Told You So, a musical adaptation of Aesop's fables
Aesop's Fables
Aesop's Fables or the Aesopica are a collection of fables credited to Aesop, a slave and story-teller believed to have lived in ancient Greece between 620 and 560 BCE. The fables remain a popular choice for moral education of children today...
, with book and lyrics by John Finnemore, but in 2003 he moved away from the theatre
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
to write pop material and to perform as a singer-songwriter and jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
musician.
In the same year he started work on his first novel, a thriller for children and young adults, and in 2004 he signed a two-book deal with HarperCollins Children's Books
HarperCollins
HarperCollins is a publishing company owned by News Corporation. It is the combination of the publishers William Collins, Sons and Co Ltd, a British company, and Harper & Row, an American company, itself the result of an earlier merger of Harper & Brothers and Row, Peterson & Company. The worldwide...
. His first book was one of the biggest selling children's book debuts of 2005 in the UK.
In 2008, he married broadcaster Mary Ann Ochota
Mary Ann Ochota
Mary-Ann Ochota is a British broadcaster and anthropologist specialising in Anthropology, Archaeology, Social History and Adventure factual television....
.
New Media
Craig is consistently at the forefront of use of new media by children's writers. In 2005 he was one of the first authors to use FacebookFacebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
to build a fanbase and enhance fans' experience of his writing, using character profiles as well as his personal pages to create an online world that reflected that of his books. He was also one of the first children's writers to utilise Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
as a means of communicating with fans and creating new stories. He continues to use both, as well as experimenting with new kinds of author videos and book trailers on video sites, such as youtube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
.
Books
- Jimmy Coates: Killer, HarperCollins Children's BooksHarperCollinsHarperCollins is a publishing company owned by News Corporation. It is the combination of the publishers William Collins, Sons and Co Ltd, a British company, and Harper & Row, an American company, itself the result of an earlier merger of Harper & Brothers and Row, Peterson & Company. The worldwide...
, March 2005, ISBN 0007196857
Shortly after the UK publication, Craig's first book was released in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
under the title Jimmy Coates: Assassin It was a finalist for the 2006 Manchester Book Award
Manchester Book Award
The Manchester Book Award is a project run in Manchester, UK, organised by School Services at the Manchester Library & Information Service; it is funded by the Working Neighbourhoods Fund. The project is currently in its fourth year....
, and won the Bolton Children's Book Award
Bolton Children's Book Award
The Bolton Children's Book Award is an annual award given to works of children's literature published in paperback during the previous year. The award is sponsored by Bolton Literacy Trust, The University of Bolton and Page Nation.-List of Prize Winners:...
2006.
- Jimmy Coates: Killer
- Jimmy Coates: Target, HarperCollins Children's Books, May 2006, ISBN 0007196865
- Jimmy Coates: Revenge, HarperCollins Children's Books, January 2007, ISBN 0007232853
- Jimmy Coates: Sabotage, HarperCollins Children's Books, October 2007, ISBN 0007232861
- Jimmy Coates: Survival, HarperCollins Children's Books, April 2008, ISBN 0007270992
- Jimmy Coates: Power, HarperCollins Children's Books, October 2008, ISBN 978-0007277308
The seventh book in the series will be titled Jimmy Coates: Blackout.
The eighth and final book in the series will be titled Jimmy Coates: Genesis.
- Lifters, Franklin Watts, September 2011, ISBN 978-1445105550
Music
In 2011 Joe Craig released his first album under his own name, 'The Songman & Me, vol. 1'. He wrote and performed all the songs on the collection.Previously, in his country song writing pursuits, Craig had taken on the stage name Craig Travis Williams.