Mary Colson

Mary Colson is a teacher and writer specialising in non-fiction. She has written over 50 non-fiction books for children on topics ranging from Einstein, secret codes and the ozone layer to Toni Morrison, sports poetry and Beyoncé. A graduate of the MA in Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia, Mary has a varied writing life. She has written reviews for various publications and literary websites including the TMS theatre awards and The Times. She delivers creative writing workshops in schools all over the country and regularly copy-edits academic journals and papers in English and French for Cambridge University Press and Taylor and Francis. She is an active member of Ilkley Writers and frequently showcases new work at local festivals.
Before moving to northern England, Mary had a diverse career outside of writing. This included working as an au pair in Germany, teaching English to Ukrainian air traffic controllers and delivering workshops and outreach community projects as a costumed education officer for the National Trust. Whilst she hails from rural Buckinghamshire, Mary now lives on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales where she spends her time teaching English in a large comprehensive school, writing and cycling slowly uphill. For her next projects, she is working on a non-fiction book for adults and a script about the slave trader John Newton and the poet William Cowper.