I was born in 1958, a week before Elvis joined the army. Until 1976 I lived in Newhaven, East Sussex and attended Newhaven Tideway Comprehensive School. Then I went to University at Lampeter, in Wales, where I failed a philosophy degree. I moved to Brighton in 1979,

Ian Marchant at Totleigh Barton Ian Marchant on a Little Railway

where I sung in pop groups and worked in a bookmakers shop. I moved back to Wales in 1987, and lived by dealing in second-hand records and books. In 1989 I started a degree in the History and Philosophy of Science at Lancaster University, and I graduated in 1992.

I co-edited ‘Juggling For A Degree’, an account of mature student life, which was published by Innovations in Higher Education in 1994. An album of my songs with Peter French, ‘Lino Women and Song’  was released by MIC in 1997. My first novel ‘In Southern Waters’ was published by Victor Gollancz in 1999, and in paperback by Indigo in 2000. My second novel, ‘The Battle For Dole Acre’ was published by Weidenfeld and Nicholson in 2001. My children’s book ‘Crypts Caves and Tunnels of London’ was published by Watling Street in 2002. My non-fiction book ‘Parallel Lines’ is due for publication by Bloomsbury in July 2003. In October 2003, New Holland are publishing ‘Men and Models’, for which I wrote the text.

I worked as a second-hand book seller for many years, and from January 2001 until April 2002, I managed Quinto Books on the Charing Cross Road. I am currently co-centre director for The Arvon Foundation at Totleigh Barton in North Devon.

I have performed and sung with the cabaret act ‘Your Dad’ since 1997, and have also performed and published as Hilary Spume FRSL, Britain’s best loved poet.

From 1998 until 2000, I lived in a caravan with a chicken called Ginger.

I have two daughters, Esme and Eleanor. I live in Devon with the writer Monique Roffey.