Daren King

Daren King was born in Harlow, Essex in 1972.^[1] He left school with one O-level, but later graduated from a creative writing course at Bath Spa University College.^[2]

Whilst studying in Bath, King wrote his first novel, Boxy an Star, which was then published by Abacus in 1999.^[3] The book was shortlisted for the Guardian First Book Award and longlisted for the Booker Prize.^[4] The same year he contributed to a book of erotica published by Zadie Smith when she was writer in residence at the Institute of Contemporary Arts.^[2]

By virtue of contributing a short story to the anthology All Hail the New Puritans in 2000, King became part of the New Puritans, a short-lived literary movement. The editors of the anthology, Nicholas Blincoe and Matt Thorne, appear in his novel Jim Giraffe as the characters Mr Bingo and Ape Hands.^[2]

In 2006, King published his first children's book Mouse Noses on Toast. It was illustrated by David Roberts. The two have since collaborated on more books.

• Boxy an Star ISBN 0-349-11192-8 (Abacus, 1999)
• Jim Giraffe ISBN 978-0-09-944516-6 Vintage, 2005)
• Tom Boler ISBN 978-0-09-944515-9 (Vintage, 2005)
• Manual ISBN 978-0-571-23066-2 (Faber & Faber, 2008)

• Mouse Noses on Toast, illustrated by David Roberts (Faber, 2006)
• Sensible Hare and the Case of Carrots, illus. Roberts (Faber, 2007)
• Peter the Penguin Pioneer, illus. Roberts (Quercus, 2009)^[5]
• Frightfully Friendly Ghosties, illus. Roberts (Quercus, 2010 to 2012) – series of four novellas^[5][6]

• Smally the Mouse: Smally's Party ISBN 978-0-7475-7903-8 (Bloomsbury, 2005)

• Contributor to All Hail the New Puritans, an anthology of stories edited by Nicholas Blincoe and Matt Thorne ISBN 978-1-84115-349-0 (Fourth Estate, 2000)

• Official website
• Interview with 3:AM Magazine
• Review of Manual in New Statesman
• Daren King at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database
• Daren King, 1972– at Library of Congress, with 6 library catalogue records