Brian O'Donnell

Brian O’Donnell was born in Tyneside… the middle one of five brothers, whose love of books was encouraged by their parents, Jean and Jerry.

After leaving secondary modern school, he took up an engineering apprenticeship which involved a spell in London. From there, he joined the Merchant Navy sailing to the Persian Gulf and India, and shuttled between New York and the Caribbean Gulf.

He returned home but had a tough time finding steady work, so he enrolled as a mature student at Northumbria University, graduated with honours, and assumed a teaching post in Newcastle. An illness forced his premature retirement, so he started a less stressful job as a market researcher.

He is married to the best smile in Tyneside and has twin boys and a daughter.