AJ Kirby is the author of the novels Paint this Town Red, Bully and Sharkways, and the non-fiction book Fergie's Finest. His short fiction has been published across the web, and in magazines, anthologies and literary journals, as well as in two collections: The Art of Ventriloquism and Mix Tape. He was one of 20 Leeds-based authors under 40 recently shortlisted for the LS13 competition and his novel Paint this Town Red was shortlisted for last year's The Guardian Not the Booker prize. He blogs at http://paintthistownred.wordpress.com/ Major influences include Martin Amis, Ian McEwan, Ian Rankin, Will Self, Richard Blandford, Dan Simmons, John Irving...     

A.J Kirby is the author of three novels; The Magpie Trap (to be published in time for Christmas 2008), When Elephants walk through the Gorbals (which was third place winner in the 2008 Luke Bitmead Writers' Bursary competition from Legend Press) and Leap Year (which he is currently re-writing). His portfolio also includes the novella Perfect World and over thirty short-stories. Publication credits for his short fiction include Nemonymous 8: Cone Zero, Graveside Tales, Sein und Werden, Dog Horn Publishing, The Second Hand, Skrev Press, Underground magazine, Necrology magazine, Monkey Kettle, Golden Visions, and Champagne Shivers.



He was runner-up in the 2008 Huddersfield Literature Festival creative writing competition, and this year was also short-listed for the Cinnamon Press short fiction prize and the Mere Literary Festival prize.