Ray French

Ray French was born in Wales to Irish parents, and now lives in Leeds. His first book was The Red Jag and Other Stories (2000). His first novel, All This Is Mine (2003), was translated into Dutch and Italian. Going Under (2007), his second novel, was translated into French and German, adapted for German radio and optioned as a film in France.

He is one of four male authors whose memoirs are featured in the collection Four Fathers (2006). He continues to write short fiction. His short story, ‘Migration’, was published in the compilation Hide (2010), and two stories, ‘Stranded’ and ‘Visions of Hull’ appeared in the compilation Postcards from Hull (2011). He is putting the final touches to his third novel, Welcome To The Reservation.

Ray is a part-time lecturer in Creative Writing at the University of Hull, and also teaches a class at the Lifelong Learning Centre at the University of Leeds. He has also run residential courses for the Arvon Foundation, lectured at Leeds Trinity University, ran workshops in schools, Libraries and Art Galleries, and for community writing groups, refugees and teenagers.