Hello! I’m Anthony. Welcome.

Born in a cauldron of fire, after two volcanos collided under howling winds and raging, electric storms, I’m-

Okay, I’m from the seaside town of Weymouth, Dorset in the UK really. But I’ve always loved to exaggerate. That’s why I enjoy being a children’s author. You’re allowed to let your imagination run wild and make stuff up!

I’ve travelled around a lot and lived in places like California, Portsmouth and Wales but – for now – I live with my two mischievous black cats (Sherlock and Watson) and my girlfriend, Amy, by the Torridge Estuary in North Devon.

At the moment, I’m writing a series of children’s picture books (coincidentally, about two mischievous cats). I have just finished a pirate fantasy novel for Middle-Grade aged children, and am now working on a new, exciting time-travel adventure series with the wonderful and inspiring Imogen Cooper – Golden Egg Academy director and senior editor at children’s publisher, Chicken House/Scholastic.

I’ve written books, scripts and articles for Nickelodeon, Disney, Harpercollins, Macmillan, Dreamworks, BBC, Guardian, The Wrap, Haymarket Publishing (Children & Young People Now), Parragon, Paramount, CiTV and have trained professional scriptwriters in Los Angeles on how to write for children. I’ve also written scripts for Doctor Who comics and been a professional writing competition judge for the prestigious Bath Novel Award.

As an experienced youth worker too, my new fave thing is to run fun Science workshops, making tons of yucky, slurpy slime with children aged 3 to 14. Find out more about that here.

I love dunking Digestive biscuits in tea (otherwise I can’t seem to write…they must have hidden magical powers), walking along the river amongst nature, and using telepathy to ask my cats to bring me breakfast in bed every morning (ha, I wish!).

 

 

I’ve written and edited a lot of different books (some are in the above image), most of them for children. Many have been commissioned for big companies like Disney, which means I write them without my name going on them.

For instance, I bet you didn’t know that I wrote and edited the children’s book version of The Pirates of the Caribbean film? Or the children’s book version of Cars 2? Well, yes I did. I also had a hand in a free Doctor Who book that came with the comic Doctor Who Adventures I used to write for.

As well as this writing, I regularly read my Golden Egg Academy friends’ manuscripts as they go through different draft stages. We all share our work to ensure we get as much editorial feedback as possible. This always improves a book.

Right now, I’m working on my own children’s picture books, a time-travel adventure for middle-grade aged children and a pirate fantasy novel.

I also read “professionally” and review children’s books for brilliant book website, My Book Corner.

I love making slime! Then again, who doesn’t? It’s slippery, slurpy and very satisfying when you get it into your hands and squeeze it until it dribbles everywhere.

Yes, I know I’m a grown man, but as I teach fun and interactive science classes for young children – with the renowned Devon-based Sciencedipity – I get to show children how to chemically activate PVA glue into a semi-solid: make slime in another words!

It is, of course, all in the name of learning about chemistry, how to use science equipment safely, and getting children intrigued about what science is, and how fun it can be.

As Sciencedipity is led by Biomedical Scientist and qualified teache, Ruth Maclaren, we run professional learning experiences under the government’s important Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) scheme. We travel around and promote the benefit of discovering these four education areas for later in life.

Currently, I run an exciting community art and heritage project in Bideford, North Devon. Called Way of the Wharves, it’s about creating renewed knowledge and pride in the maritime history of a deprived ward (East-the-Water).

Myself and a dedicated group of volunteers do this by organising events, art workshops, education programmes, recordings of oral histories, designing tourist information panels, and researching stories of how people lived and worked around the quayside and port of Bideford.

Once an important, strategic port for worldwide trade and ship building, Bideford’s rich heritage and tidal estuary lends itself to be regenerated for generations who know nothing about this.

I manage the day-to-day project, the volunteers, social media, finances and really enjoy creating new workshops and motivating people to come together to build a better and more positive community environment.

You can follow what the Way of the Wharves team are up to on our Facebook page.

I’ve also run youth film inclusion projects, with those Not in Education Employment or Training (NEETs), and been project co-ordinator for community arts, literature and theatre festivals.

 

I have two wonderful, mischievous and cuddly black cats called Sherlock and Watson. Adopted from a farm in North Devon when they were eight weeks old, they are a pair of cheeky chaps.

They were born on Friday the 13th, which makes them two very lucky cat-brothers.

Sherlock shows his heart on his sleeve, gives everyone big kisses when he meets them, but he’s a little more shy about staying outside for too long. He much prefers cosying-up by the fire, or strolling across my keyboard to get some attention.

Watson is a bit more adventurous. He roams about a lot more and is quite naughty. He often gets into scrapes with other cats and has been known to pop into people’s houses and have a good wander around. But, when he’s in a chilled mood, he’s a happy kitty.

Together, they are two amazing little beings. Full of character, life and energy. They’ve made our house a fun-filled, homely place. Without a doubt, since we got them, I’ve laughed more from their amusing antics than I ever have in my whole life!

You can see lots more of their adventures in this photo album.

If you’d like to get in contact then you can email me on anthonyburt@hotmail.com.

Or follow me on Twitter.

Or send a message through this form…