Ian Douglas grew up in London and Essex. Dissuaded by teachers and family alike from pursuing a career in writing, Ian studied social work at Nottingham University (a choice equally unpopular with the grown-ups) and spent several years working around the country with people with learning disabilities.

In search of something more from life Ian gave up his career and spent a couple of years backpacking around the world. Memorable highlights include the attack of a pack of drooling street dogs, the theft of his money belt, several confidence tricksters, a riot in Hanoi and four penniless months in Sydney.

England seemed a tad too cosy after all this and Ian re-qualified as an English language teacher. He went on to teach in Hong Kong and then South Korea, where the North Korean missile plan and a string of crooked employers convinced him to leave for a university teaching post in Thailand.

Somehow he managed to be at the right place at the right time and started writing for the press in Bangkok. He found himself reporting on topics he knew nothing about, teaching him the valuable lesson in life: “a little research and a lot of cheek goes a long way”. He went on to publish over a hundred features on everything from travel and celebrity to golf and crystal ware. At the insistence of his editors he wrote under several colourful pseudonyms, including Sterling Silverstone, (yes that was the car page) and Ava Rubinstein (luxury shopping).

Ian settled back in Nottingham with his wife and children. In 2007 he graduated with distinction in the MA in Creative Writing at Nottingham Trent University. Since then his short stories have been published in several anthologies. Ian is a member of the Nottingham Writer’s Studio and regularly performs his work. He is now focusing on a children’s Sci-Fi novel.

Ian is also an artist and has held several solo and group exhibitions in the Far East and the UK.

Download Ian's CV (PDF document)