After serving on the National Service in the RAF , Bernard Ashley trained to become a teacher, specializing in Drama. He followed this with an Advanced Diploma at the Cambridge Institute and has been awarded honorary Doctorates in Education. His teaching career included thirty years as headmaster before he became a full-time writer for children. His debut novel The Trouble with Donovan Croft won the Other Award, the alternative to the Carnegie Medal, and several of his other titles have been highly commended by the Carnegie Medal panel. Bernard lives in London.