While still in his twenties, John Purcell opened a second-hand bookshop in Sydney – imaginatively called 'John's Bookshop' – in which he sat for ten years reading, ranting and writing. Since then he has written (under a pseudonym) a series of successful novels and, as part of his previous role as Director of Books at Booktopia, interviewed hundreds of writers about their work. John has also appeared at literary festivals and on TV, and been featured in prominent newspapers and magazines. His first novel, The Girl on the Page (HarperCollins, 2018), was a bestseller, and a film adaptation is in the works. He now lives in the English countryside with his wife, three dogs, four cats and his overlarge book collection.
