Terence Blacker spent much of the time he should have been studying at university riding racehorses.

However, he never became a professional jockey. Instead, he worked in publishing for ten years before becoming a full-time writer in 1983. Since then he has become a prolific writer for adults and children, and is probably best known for his Ms Wiz books for younger readers about the adventures of an eccentric teacher.

Terence is passionate about football and he has written several stories in Hotshots, a series about an all-girl football team, as well as The Transfer, a football story for boys.

Terence writes a weekly column in The Independent.