Martin Chatterton books, illustrations and more
The Beatles celebrate news of Chatterton's birth, early 1960's.
Martin Chatterton was born in Liverpool at almost exactly the same time that The Beatles were discovered, Kennedy was assassinated and the space race began. Historians have seldom made a connection between the events but surely they are unlikely to have been mere coincidences?
A phenomenally talented and attractive baby (he would have won first prize in the Rhyl 'Cutest baby' competition in 1963 if it hadn't been for that damned kid with the ringlets) Chatterton showed promise from the very beginning. A career in the arts seemed assured when he painted what is regarded as his finest early work; a three-panel diptych depicting the linear development of industrial relations in the early twentieth century as shown by a ducky and a horsey.
Education and everything in between
A spell as John Lennon's paperboy led to Chatterton taking an interest in words and language and he was dead good at writin at school. With both parents (allegedly both teachers but in fact deep cover agents working for MI5) often absent for long periods, Chatterton learned to fend for himself. A botched espionage plan led to him becoming a punk rocker before taking a graphics degree at Kingston and diving into a career as an illustrator
As an illustrator, Chatterton proved to be a master, working for customers around the world from the Sydney Opera House to Uncle Pung's Chinese Noodle Snax. His distinctive 'funny' work featured in TV commercials, posters, packaging, electronic media, newspapers, comics . . . anywhere and everywhere.
His stint as a scribbler was only supposed to be temporary while he developed his 'cover' but at art college Chatterton had gone native and he began dressing weirdly and believing he was in fact, an illustrator. His MI5 handlers gradually lost interest in planting him in Moscow and he assumed the name 'Martin Chatterton' permanently (his real name, Piers Ilyoivich Ilyushin John Winston Dixie Dean Smythe, was concealed in Whitehall files until last year).
It’s a little known fact but ‘Martin Chatterton’ is actually TWO people! Yes, Chatterton works alongside his elegant wife, Annie. Despite working side by side for many years Chatterton makes sure that his wife gets little credit for her contribution, hogging the limelight for himself and sending Annie out to Tesco’s whenever he needs additional supplies of chocolate raisins or fake tanning lotion. 'As long as I get the credit cards," says Annie. "He can keep the credit.' It is Annie who is responsible for the stunning colour work that Chatterton is renowned for (quite falsely as it turns out).
It was during his time at art college that Chatterton had first fallen under the spell of the infamous Cold War siren, 'Annie 'Legski' Carroll', the scourge of MI5's top agents. But such was Chatterton's animal magentism that Carroll abandoned her role as Russia's top seductress and became his ever-lovin' wife in a touching ceremony presided over by Elvis Presley in Las Vegas. They are still happily married (Chatterton and Carroll that is, not Chatterton and Elvis) with two sprogs: Sophie, a concert pianist/playwright/mirror polisher, and Danny, a former child soccer prodigy currently being sought by half the top clubs in Europe. 'It's in the genes,' said Dr. Brian Boffin, Head of the government Brainy Types Department. 'Martin Chatterton was a skilful enough player to have captained Brazil and it's Danny's good luck to have inherited his father's ball skills (to say nothing of his chiselled good looks).'
In the 1980's Chatterton embarked on an ambitious plan to become the Greatest Writer Ever To Walk The Earth. His five-year plan, now nearing it's glorious thirtyfifth year, began by writing books whenever he was asked and by lurching accidentally from one book to another. Along the way he also opened a design company, taught sulky teenagers how to be good designers, sold lingerie, worked as a pipe-fitter's mate and travelled the globe from Seattle to Sydney. He has illustrated more than a hundred books for other less talented writers in addition to writing (and sometimes illustrating) forty of his own (several have no pictures and are in joined-up writing). He has appeared on TV and radio many times where he effortlessly makes a complete prat of himself. He has also graced the pages of many of Britain's most fashionable publications including 'The Southport Visiter' and 'The Lancashire Evening Post'.
Martin Chatterton today
These days Chatterton cuts a dashing figure as he strides across the dew-laden pastures of his rambling colonial estates (UK and Australia) clad in his trademark perfectly tailored suits, his tousled hair now flecked with distinguished silver, a smile playing across his gleaming yellow teeth as he throws a stick to his faithful labradors, Coffee, Frankie and the adopted Rosie and waving to one or two peasants (better known as 'Australians') along the way. Successful, rich beyond the dreams of most, good-looking enough to make even David Beckham ill with envy, with a devoted and gorgeous family, what else is there for Chatterton left to achieve?
'I'd like to reach out and touch those less fortunate than myself,' says the Grand Old Man of British letters, 'poor unloved fashion models and Hollywood actresses for example. I can pass my knowledge on to them and perhaps make a difference in their humdrum lives . . . did I mention I was a trained masseur? I would also like to establish a re-education centre for Manchester United supporters who don't originate in Manchester.'
Simple wishes perhaps, but who is to say that Chatterton will not one day achieve the few goals left in the years he has left?
Martin Chatterton books and more..
You'll probably have noticed that some of the information on the 'Biography' page was slightly, erm, embroidered, so here's the rather more boring truth...
Dr Martin Chatterton was born in Liverpool (UK) in 1961 and attended art college in London during the early 1980's. Since graduating he has worked succesfully in the publishing and design business as an author and illustrator. He has written many children's books for a variety of age ranges and has illustrated more than a hundred books for many other writers, including Roger McGough, Tony Bradman, Julia Donaldson, Jon Blake, Tony Mitton and Michael Rosen. A full-time writer, illustrator, film-maker and performer, Martin has previously spent time as a graphic designer and lecturer. In 2017 he completed his PhD on the legacy of the Atlantic Slave Trade in Liverpool. As an Australian author Martin writes books for children, as well as crime fiction and for the screen as Ed Chatterton and is a partner in Sugartown Media, a film and media company based in Vancouver and in Hungry Head Productions (UK). Martin's most recent work includes Penguin children's book 'The Tell' and Middle School with James Patterson. Martin successfully travels the world performing at school incursions and school author visits.
He divides his working year between the UK and Australia and is married with two grown up children. He is a popular public speaker at schools and festivals in Australia and overseas.
Publishing
1983-2017: Writer and illustrator in the UK, USA and Australia. Written 36 books and illustrated over 150, all for mainstream commercial publishers. Work translated into fourteen languages. Shortlisted for the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards 2008, the Angus Awards (Scotland) 2004, the Salford Children’s Book Awards (UK) 2005, winner of the Nottingham Book Awards (UK) 2007, currently shortlisted for The Lollies (previously the Roald Dahl Book Awards) 2017. UK World Book Day author 1999. Judge for the 2010 NSW Premier’s Literary Awards.
Publishing clients include Penguin Random House, Puffin Books, Transworld, Harper Collins, Walker Books, Egmont Books, Hardie Grant Egmont, Macmillan, Reed, Methuen, Mammoth, Scholastic, Little Hare Books, Virgin Books, Usborne,, Hodder, Hachette, Cambridge University Press, Oxford University Press, Harcourt, Peachtree Books, Pearson.
As illustrator: illustrated books by Tony Mitton, Andy Seed, Tony Bradman, Roger McGough, Alexander McCall Smith, Geoffrey McSkimming, Anthony Horowitz, Michaela Morgan, Michael Rosen and Julia Donaldson, and many others. See below for publication list.
As writer: Adult crime fiction series by Random House Australia and Random House UK. The first novel – A Dark Place To Die – is currently in script development as a UK/Australian co-produced six- part ($12 million) TV series (as The Art of Killing by Escapade Media/Mam Tor Productions. Underland, the second in the series, published in 2013. Remission, the third of the series was published in 2017. The Last Slave Ship will be published in 2018.
Recent projects: co-wrote (and illustrated) four books in the Middle School series with James Patterson selling in multiple global territories. The fifth Middle School book for Penguin Random House, G'Day America was published in 2019. A crime novel, Absolute Zero (with James Patterson for Penguin Random House), was published globally in late 2017.
Collaborated with ARIA-award winning musician Pat Davern for ABC Australia on Alexander the Elephant which was nominated for an ARIA in 2016 and is currently in development (with Justine Clarke) as a theatrical production for the Sydney Opera House in 2019.
The Tell, an Australia-based YA crime novel for Penguin Random House publishes in April 2020.
Screenwriting
Winter of the White Bear, a 25 minute animated special based on the children's book of the same name is now in active development by Hungry Head Productions (UK) with funding from the British Film Institute's Young Audiences Content Fund.
Dotty, TV series 6 x 1 hr (with Brian Viner) for Bill Kenwright Film (UK), 2017-2020.
The Last Train To Sugartown feature film script for CMHL Enterprises/Sugartown Media (Vancouver). Selected by Screenworks (Northern Rivers) for the 2017 Screen Forever SPA (Screen Producers Australia) conference, Melbourne. 2015-2017.
Ward 13 feature film script (with Peter Cornwell) for See Pictures (Sydney), 2017.
Untitled feature film project (with Christian Debney) for See Pictures (Sydney), 2017.
Alexander the Elephant story/script development for Blue Rocket Productions (Hobart) for the 52- episode animated TV series from the book (Australian Children’s Television Foundation grant recipient), 2017.
Mort story development for Dave Productions (Sydney). Feature film based on the Mort series (see ‘Publishing credits).
Literary agents
Curtis Brown (Tara Wynne, Sydney; Stephanie Thwaites, London).
Illustration
1983-2015: Work includes all aspects of design, publishing, advertising, packaging, animation, editorial and multimedia and has primarily been for mainstream, prestigious clients.
Notable projects include TV campaigns for Cadbury’s, Golden Wonder and Dettol, press and poster campaigns for The Sydney Opera House, packaging for Marks and Spencer, advertising campaigns for The Clydesdale Bank.
Other key clients include Honda, Sony, The Royal Mail, The London Science Museum, Radio Skyrock Paris, National Lottery Holland, NatWest Bank, Vodafone, The Scottish Development Agency, Eastern Water, Nokia, Tesco’s, Hallmark Cards, Yellow Pages, Asda, WH Smith, Boots, Radio Times, The Sunday Express, The Daily Express, The Observer, and The Guardian.
Design
1992-1999: Co-founder, and creative director of The Point - now Forepoint - (www.forepoint.co.uk), a multi-discipline design practice based in London and northwest England. Responsibilities included across-the-board creative direction, project management, staff appraisal, client relations. Key clients: Granada plc, The Cowie Group plc, Middlesbrough Football Club, Scottish & Newcastle plc, The Tower Bridge Experience, Madame Tussauds.
2001-2003: Co-founder, and creative director of Wild Things, Liverpool, UK. Art direction, corporate branding, literature, advertising.
2004-2014: Freelance designer/creative director, Australia. General design, art direction, corporate, branding, press, packaging, TV commercials. Clients include Atomic, Bourke Love Lawyers, Domino’s Pizza, White Consulting, The Next Project, North Coast Show, Virgin Books, Little Hare Books.
Academic Conferences, awards, lectures
Paper presented at Film and Media 2013: The Pleasures of the Spectacle, University of London, June 2013: The Last Slave Ship: a Multimedia Book of Liverpool.
Paper presented at 16th Annual International Creative Writing Conference, Imperial College, London, July 2013: The Last Slave Ship: exploring the creative possibilities of embedded cross-media via the production of a hybrid literary artefact.
Lecture at the Department of Criminology, Social Sciences, Law and History, John Moores University, Liverpool, November 2013.
Paper presented at Art in Translation, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland, September 18-20, 2014: Slavery, Hillsborough and the selective amnesia of a blood-stained city.
Recipient, APA (Australian Postgraduate Award), 2013. This was a three year competitive scholarship of $75,000.
Public Speaking/performance/media
Toured six states in Australia between March 2017 and October 2017 for Young Australia Workshops, speaking to over 25,000 students. Schools included Scots College (Sydney), St Aloysius (Sydney), Scotch College (Perth), Christchurch Grammar (Perth), Tangara (Sydney), Sydney Grammar, Penlight & Essendon Grammar (Melbourne), Scotch College Junior (Melbourne). Previous school
performances include Sydney’s Knox Grammar, Toowoomba Grammar School, Brisbane Boys Grammar, Ipswich Grammar and St Patrick’s Shorncliffe.
Keynote speaker at Leading Edge Book Convention, Hobart 2010.
Keynote speaker at the ALAN Conference, Orlando, FLA, USA 2009.
Guest speaker at Literati ’09 (Gold Coast).
Touring speaker for the Mackay Libraries Association (2008).
Toured US schools (Los Angeles, Georgia, Florida) 2010 and 2012.
Recent festival appearances: Voices on the Coast Festival, Brisbane Writers Festival, Byron Bay Writers Festival, Sydney Writers Festival, Sharjah International Book Festival. 2015 appeared at the Sydney Writers Festival with James Patterson.
Radio/TV: Multiple appearances. BBC, BBC Radio Cumbria, BBC Radio Hereford, Radio City Liverpool, ABC National (Australia), ABC North Coast, Radio Shoalhaven, Radio Talk Europe, BBC UK, Nickolodeon.
Represented for speaking engagements/school visits by Speakers Ink (Queensland) 2005-present, Young Australia Workshop Agency (all Australia) 2016-present, Authors Abroad (global) 2017 - present.
Teaching
Visiting lecturer at a number of universities and art colleges in the UK including roles at Carlisle College of Art, York College of Art, Kingston University, Maidenhead College of Art, Birmingham Polytechnic, Hereford College of Art.
1987-1993: Associate Senior Lecturer at the University of Central Lancashire. Taught on the graphics BA and was jointly responsible for delivery of the final year programme.
1994 -1998: External Examiner for the BA in Illustration and Graphics at Manchester Metropolitan University. Also part of that institution’s Course Validation Consultancy process for the BA in Illustration and Animation.
Writer-in-residence at the State Library of Queensland (Brisbane, 2009) the Southport School (Gold Coast, 2009), the Lutheran Anglican College (Sunshine Coast, 2009), Belmont School (2014), Villanova College (Brisbane, 2015), the Stonehill International School, Bangalore, India (February 2018).
Multiple creative writing workshops for (amongst others) The State Library of Queensland, the Northern Rivers Writers Centre, the Brisbane Writers Festival, the Byron Writer’s Festival, the Sydney Writers Festival and a number of schools in NSW, WA, SA and Queensland.
Creative Writing Mentor on inaugural ‘ArtStart’ program for Arts Northern Rivers, NSW, 2012.
Miscellaneous
President of Lennox Arts Board (LAB), a not-for-profit arts organisation based in the Northern Rivers, NSW (2010-2017) where I event-managed the Byron Writer’s Festival’s largest off-site festival events showcasing Michael Leunig, Jimmy Barnes, William Finnegan, John Safran, Jimmy Barnes, Margaret Pomerantz, Andrew Frost.
Member of the Australian Society of Authors, the Society of Authors (UK), the Walker Books Authors and Illustrators Trust, the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, the Northern Rivers Writers Centre, the Crime Writers Association (UK and Australia) and the International Thriller Writers Association.
Websites
www.worldofchatterton.com and www.edchatterton.com
Published books as writer:
Silly Circus/Walker Books, 1993
Roxy’s Street/Walker Books, 1994
The Nutty Footy Book/Puffin, 1994
Martin Chatterton’s Weird World of Pop/Hodder, 1995
Martin Chatterton’s Weird World of TV/Hodder, 1995
The Euro Nutty Footy Book/Puffin, 1996
The Utterly Nutty History of Footy/Puffin, 1997
Utterly Nutty World Cup Footy/Puffin, 1998
The Utterly Nutty World of Animals/Puffin, 1998
The Utterly Nutty World of Sport/Puffin, 1998
The Utterly Nutty World of The Movies/Puffin, 1999
The Utterly Nutty World of The Future/Puffin, 1999
The Ultimate A-Z of Footy/ Puffin, 2001
Bad Dog And All That Hollywood Hoo-Hah/Scholastic, 2002
Bad Dog And Those Crazee Martians/Scholastic, 2002
Bad Dog And The Curse Of The President’s Knee/Scholastic, 2002
Bad Dog Rockin’ Up A Phat One In Da House/Scholastic 2003
Bad Dog Goes Barktastic Baby!/Scholastic 2004
Holidaze!/Egmont Books, 2003
Spooks!/Egmont Books, 2003
Puters!/Egmont Books, 2003
Skool!/Egmont Books, 2003
Michigan Moorcroft/ Scholastic, 2003The Brain Finds A Leg/Little Hare 2007
Stunt Mania (Stripes UK, 2007). Children’s fiction grades 5-7
The Brain Finds A Leg (Little Hare, Australia/NZ, 2007). Children’s fiction grades 5-7
Four Boys Go Ape (Stripes UK, 2008). Children’s fiction grades 5-7
By the Picking of My Nose (Little Hare, Australia/NZ, 2009). Children’s fiction grades 5-7
The Brain Full of Holes (Little Hare, Australia/NZ, 2009). Young Adult fiction.
A Belt Around My Bum (Little Hare, Australia/NZ, 2010). Children’s fiction grades 5-7
Chew Bee or Not Chew Bee (Little Hare, Australia/NZ, 2011). Children’s fiction grades 5-7
Mort (Random House Australia/NZ, 2012). Children’s fiction grades 5-7
A Dark Place To Die (Random House UK, 2013). Adult crime fiction
Roadkill (Random House Australia/NZ, 2013). Adult crime fiction
Santa’s Suit (Little Hare Australia/NZ, 2013). Children’s fiction grades 2-5
Mortal Combat (Random House Australia/NZ, 2013). Children’s fiction grades 5-7.
Mortified (Random House Australia/NZ, 2014). Children’s fiction grades 5-7
Down Among the Dead Men (Random House UK, 2014). Adult crime fiction
Underland (Random House Australia/NZ, 2014). Adult crime fiction
Middle School: Rafe’s Aussie Adventure (with James Patterson: Random House Australia, 2015). Children’s fiction grades 5-7
Alexander the Elephant in Zanzibar (with Pat Davern; publ: Love Police/ABC Music Australia 2015). Children’s fiction pre-school/early learner
The Monster Chase (Oxford University Press, 2015). Children’s fiction early learner
Spud and Chips (Oxford University Press, 2015). Children’s fiction early learner
Remission (Caffeine Nights) UK, 2016. Adult fiction.
Middle School: Hollywood 101 (with James Patterson: Random House UK, 2016). Children’s fiction grades 5-7
Escape From Black Mountain (Pearson, 2016)
Middle School: Going Bush (with James Patterson: Random House Australia, 2016). Children’s fiction grades 5-7
Absolute Zero (with James Patterson: Penguin Random House UK, USA, 2017). Adult fiction
Middle School: Million Dollar Mess (with James Patterson: Random House Australia, 2017). Children’s fiction grades 5-7
Middle School: G'Day America! (with James Patterson: Random House Australia, 2018). Children’s fiction grades 5-7
Winter of the White Bear(Dirt Lane Press). Children's picture book, grades 1-4
Published books as illustrator:
Cyril MC by Mary Hoffman/Puffin 1988
Helen Highwater by Roger McGough/Puffin 1989
Tommy Niner and The Planet Of Danger by Tony Bradman/Puffin 1991
Zargon Zoo by Paul Shipton/Heinemann 1991
The Likely Stories by Jon Blake/Viking 1991
Jack and His Computer by CJ Moore/Heinemann 1992
Tommy Niner and The Mystery Spaceship by Tony Bradman/Puffin 1993
Look At Me (In A Funny Hat)! by Richard Johnson, Walker Books 1993
Look At Me (In Funny Clothes)! by Richard Johnson, Walker Books 1993
How To Be A Superkid by Laurence Anholt/Walker Books 1994
Little Stupendo by Jon Blake/Walker Books 1995
Billy Rubbish by Alexander McCall Smith/Methuen 1995
Tommy Niner and The Moon Of Doom by Tony Bradman/Puffin 1996
Nonsense! by Richard Brown/Cambridge University Press/1996
Big Bad Raps by Tony Mitton/Orchard 1996
Royal Raps by Tony Mitton/Orchard1996
Alien On The 99th Floor by Jenny Nimmo/Heinemann1996
Five Little Monkeys by Kate Ruttle/Cambridge University Press 1996
Spider McDrew by Alan Durant/Collins 1996
Happy Birthday Spider McDrew by Alan Durant/Collins 1997
The Magnificent Mummies by Tony Bradman/Puffin 1997
Midnight In Memphis by Tony Bradman/Puffin 1998
Kristel Dimond, Timecop by Sam McBratney/Walker Books 1998
Derek Dungbeetle In Paradise by Nick Storme/Mammoth 1998
Derek DungbeetleGets The Blues by Nick Storme/Mammoth 1998
Fangtastic Raps by Tony Mitton/Orchard 1998
Hop On Top by Tony Mitton/Cambridge University Press 1999
Ham and Jam by Tony Mitton/Cambridge University Press 1999
Jump and Bump by Tony Mitton/Cambridge University Press 1999
The Thing That came From Jason's Nose by Tony Bradman/Mammoth 1999
Little Stupendo Rides Again by Jon Blake/Walker Books 1999
Monster Raps by Tony Mitton/Orchard 1999
Scary Raps by Tony Mitton/Orchard 1999
Robin Hood Raps by Tony Mitton/Orchard 2000
Groovy Greek Hero Raps by Tony Mitton/Orchard 2000
Mega Greek Myth Raps by Tony Mitton/Orchard 2000
Here I Am Said Smedley by Simon Puttock/Mammoth 2000
Stranger From Somewhere In Time by Sam McBratney/Mammoth 2000
The Runaway Pizza by Brenda Parkes/Rigby 2000
Little Stupendo Flies High by Jon Blake/Walker Books 2001
Great Greek Myth Raps by Tony Mitton/Orchard 2001
Charlie Chimpanzee by Tony Mitton/Cambridge University Press 2001
Elvis and the Scooter, Harcourt 2003
Voodoo Child by TonyBradman/Egmont 2004
Final Cut by Tony Bradman/Egmont 2004
Deadly Game by Tony Bradman/Egmont 2004
The Surprise Party by Tony Bradman/Egmont 2005
Elvis and the Space Junk (by Maoliosa Kelly, publ: Rigby Books UK 2005)
Elvis and the Camping Trip (by Maoliosa Kelly, publ: Rigby Books UK 2005)
Prince Albert’s Birthday (by Jane Clarke, publ: Oxford University Press UK 2005)
The Surprise Party (by Tony Bradman, publ: Egmont UK 2005)
Mummies Find Fame by Tony Bradman/Egmont 2006
Usman’s Books (by Julia Donaldson, publ: Oxford University Press UK 2006)
Jack and the Giants (by Julia Donaldson, publ: Oxford University Press UK 2006)
Incredible Creatures/Puffin 2007
Mighty Egyptians by Nigel Crowle/Puffin 2007
Heroic Greeks by Nigel Crowle/Puffin 2007
Amazing Space by Nigel Crowle/Puffin 2007
Freaky Football by Nigel Crowle/Puffin 2007
King Tut's Golden Toilet/Puffin 2007
Hadrian's Lucky Latrine/Puffin 2007
Henry VIII's Privy/Puffin 2007
Queen Victoria's Potty/Puffin 2007
Little Horrors (series x 6 by Tiffany Mandrake publ: Little Hare Books 2008-2010)
Action Dogs (series x 4 graphic novels by Steve Skidmore and Steve Barlow, publ: Usborne UK 2012)
Elsie Radio by Katie Forde (Pearson Educational, 2014)
Harry the Hero (by Tony Bradman, publ: Oxford University Press, 2014)
Skate Park Survival by Philip Simpson (Pearson, 2014)
Middle School: Rafe’s Aussie Adventure (Random House Australia, 2015)
Alexander the Elephant in Zanzibar (by Pat Davern/Martin Chatterton, publ: Love Police/ABC Music, Australia 2015)
Danny Dreadnought (by Jonathan Emmett, publ: Egmont Books UK, 2015)
The Emperor’s New Clones (by Jonathan Emmett, publ: Egmont Books UK, 2015)
The Monster Chase (Oxford University Press, 2015)
Spud and Chips (Oxford University Press, 2015)
Escape From Black Mountain (Pearson, 2016)
Thimble Monkey Superstar (by Jon Blake, Firefly Press UK, 2016)
Dribbles (by Michael Wagner, Pearson Australia, 2016)
Middle School: Going Bush (Random House Australia, 2016)
Middle School: Hollywood 101 (with James Patterson: Random House UK, 2016)
Thimble Holiday Havoc (by Jon Blake, Firefly Press UK, 2017)
Middle School: Million Dollar Mess (with James Patterson: Random House Australia, 2017)
Middle School: G'Day America (with James Patterson: Random House Australia, 2019)
Thimble Wonga Bonkers (by Jon Blake, Firefly Press UK, 2020)
Dr Martin Chatterton was born in Liverpool (UK) in 1961 and attended art college in London during the early 1980's. Since graduating he has worked succesfully in the publishing and design business as an author and illustrator. He has written many children's books for a variety of age ranges and has illustrated more than a hundred books for many other writers, including Roger McGough, Tony Bradman, Julia Donaldson, Jon Blake, Tony Mitton and Michael Rosen. A full-time writer, illustrator, film-maker and performer, Martin has previously spent time as a graphic designer and lecturer. In 2017 he completed his PhD on the legacy of the Atlantic Slave Trade in Liverpool. As an Australian author Martin writes books for children, as well as crime fiction and for the screen as Ed Chatterton and is a partner in Sugartown Media, a film and media company based in Vancouver and in Hungry Head Productions (UK). Martin's most recent work includes Penguin children's book 'The Tell' and Middle School with James Patterson. Martin successfully travels the world performing at school incursions and school author visits.
He divides his working year between the UK and Australia and is married with two grown up children. He is a popular public speaker at schools and festivals in Australia and overseas.
Publishing
1983-2017: Writer and illustrator in the UK, USA and Australia. Written 36 books and illustrated over 150, all for mainstream commercial publishers. Work translated into fourteen languages. Shortlisted for the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards 2008, the Angus Awards (Scotland) 2004, the Salford Children’s Book Awards (UK) 2005, winner of the Nottingham Book Awards (UK) 2007, currently shortlisted for The Lollies (previously the Roald Dahl Book Awards) 2017. UK World Book Day author 1999. Judge for the 2010 NSW Premier’s Literary Awards.
Publishing clients include Penguin Random House, Puffin Books, Transworld, Harper Collins, Walker Books, Egmont Books, Hardie Grant Egmont, Macmillan, Reed, Methuen, Mammoth, Scholastic, Little Hare Books, Virgin Books, Usborne,, Hodder, Hachette, Cambridge University Press, Oxford University Press, Harcourt, Peachtree Books, Pearson.
As illustrator: illustrated books by Tony Mitton, Andy Seed, Tony Bradman, Roger McGough, Alexander McCall Smith, Geoffrey McSkimming, Anthony Horowitz, Michaela Morgan, Michael Rosen and Julia Donaldson, and many others. See below for publication list.
As writer: Adult crime fiction series by Random House Australia and Random House UK. The first novel – A Dark Place To Die – is currently in script development as a UK/Australian co-produced six- part ($12 million) TV series (as The Art of Killing by Escapade Media/Mam Tor Productions. Underland, the second in the series, published in 2013. Remission, the third of the series was published in 2017. The Last Slave Ship will be published in 2018.
Recent projects: co-wrote (and illustrated) four books in the Middle School series with James Patterson selling in multiple global territories. The fifth Middle School book for Penguin Random House, G'Day America was published in 2019. A crime novel, Absolute Zero (with James Patterson for Penguin Random House), was published globally in late 2017.
Collaborated with ARIA-award winning musician Pat Davern for ABC Australia on Alexander the Elephant which was nominated for an ARIA in 2016 and is currently in development (with Justine Clarke) as a theatrical production for the Sydney Opera House in 2019.
The Tell, an Australia-based YA crime novel for Penguin Random House publishes in April 2020.
Screenwriting
Winter of the White Bear, a 25 minute animated special based on the children's book of the same name is now in active development by Hungry Head Productions (UK) with funding from the British Film Institute's Young Audiences Content Fund.
Dotty, TV series 6 x 1 hr (with Brian Viner) for Bill Kenwright Film (UK), 2017-2020.
The Last Train To Sugartown feature film script for CMHL Enterprises/Sugartown Media (Vancouver). Selected by Screenworks (Northern Rivers) for the 2017 Screen Forever SPA (Screen Producers Australia) conference, Melbourne. 2015-2017.
Ward 13 feature film script (with Peter Cornwell) for See Pictures (Sydney), 2017.
Untitled feature film project (with Christian Debney) for See Pictures (Sydney), 2017.
Alexander the Elephant story/script development for Blue Rocket Productions (Hobart) for the 52- episode animated TV series from the book (Australian Children’s Television Foundation grant recipient), 2017.
Mort story development for Dave Productions (Sydney). Feature film based on the Mort series (see ‘Publishing credits).
Literary agents
Curtis Brown (Tara Wynne, Sydney; Stephanie Thwaites, London).
Illustration
1983-2015: Work includes all aspects of design, publishing, advertising, packaging, animation, editorial and multimedia and has primarily been for mainstream, prestigious clients.
Notable projects include TV campaigns for Cadbury’s, Golden Wonder and Dettol, press and poster campaigns for The Sydney Opera House, packaging for Marks and Spencer, advertising campaigns for The Clydesdale Bank.
Other key clients include Honda, Sony, The Royal Mail, The London Science Museum, Radio Skyrock Paris, National Lottery Holland, NatWest Bank, Vodafone, The Scottish Development Agency, Eastern Water, Nokia, Tesco’s, Hallmark Cards, Yellow Pages, Asda, WH Smith, Boots, Radio Times, The Sunday Express, The Daily Express, The Observer, and The Guardian.
Design
1992-1999: Co-founder, and creative director of The Point - now Forepoint - (www.forepoint.co.uk), a multi-discipline design practice based in London and northwest England. Responsibilities included across-the-board creative direction, project management, staff appraisal, client relations. Key clients: Granada plc, The Cowie Group plc, Middlesbrough Football Club, Scottish & Newcastle plc, The Tower Bridge Experience, Madame Tussauds.
2001-2003: Co-founder, and creative director of Wild Things, Liverpool, UK. Art direction, corporate branding, literature, advertising.
2004-2014: Freelance designer/creative director, Australia. General design, art direction, corporate, branding, press, packaging, TV commercials. Clients include Atomic, Bourke Love Lawyers, Domino’s Pizza, White Consulting, The Next Project, North Coast Show, Virgin Books, Little Hare Books.
Academic Conferences, awards, lectures
Paper presented at Film and Media 2013: The Pleasures of the Spectacle, University of London, June 2013: The Last Slave Ship: a Multimedia Book of Liverpool.
Paper presented at 16th Annual International Creative Writing Conference, Imperial College, London, July 2013: The Last Slave Ship: exploring the creative possibilities of embedded cross-media via the production of a hybrid literary artefact.
Lecture at the Department of Criminology, Social Sciences, Law and History, John Moores University, Liverpool, November 2013.
Paper presented at Art in Translation, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland, September 18-20, 2014: Slavery, Hillsborough and the selective amnesia of a blood-stained city.
Recipient, APA (Australian Postgraduate Award), 2013. This was a three year competitive scholarship of $75,000.
Public Speaking/performance/media
Toured six states in Australia between March 2017 and October 2017 for Young Australia Workshops, speaking to over 25,000 students. Schools included Scots College (Sydney), St Aloysius (Sydney), Scotch College (Perth), Christchurch Grammar (Perth), Tangara (Sydney), Sydney Grammar, Penlight & Essendon Grammar (Melbourne), Scotch College Junior (Melbourne). Previous school
performances include Sydney’s Knox Grammar, Toowoomba Grammar School, Brisbane Boys Grammar, Ipswich Grammar and St Patrick’s Shorncliffe.
Keynote speaker at Leading Edge Book Convention, Hobart 2010.
Keynote speaker at the ALAN Conference, Orlando, FLA, USA 2009.
Guest speaker at Literati ’09 (Gold Coast).
Touring speaker for the Mackay Libraries Association (2008).
Toured US schools (Los Angeles, Georgia, Florida) 2010 and 2012.
Recent festival appearances: Voices on the Coast Festival, Brisbane Writers Festival, Byron Bay Writers Festival, Sydney Writers Festival, Sharjah International Book Festival. 2015 appeared at the Sydney Writers Festival with James Patterson.
Radio/TV: Multiple appearances. BBC, BBC Radio Cumbria, BBC Radio Hereford, Radio City Liverpool, ABC National (Australia), ABC North Coast, Radio Shoalhaven, Radio Talk Europe, BBC UK, Nickolodeon.
Represented for speaking engagements/school visits by Speakers Ink (Queensland) 2005-present, Young Australia Workshop Agency (all Australia) 2016-present, Authors Abroad (global) 2017 - present.
Teaching
Visiting lecturer at a number of universities and art colleges in the UK including roles at Carlisle College of Art, York College of Art, Kingston University, Maidenhead College of Art, Birmingham Polytechnic, Hereford College of Art.
1987-1993: Associate Senior Lecturer at the University of Central Lancashire. Taught on the graphics BA and was jointly responsible for delivery of the final year programme.
1994 -1998: External Examiner for the BA in Illustration and Graphics at Manchester Metropolitan University. Also part of that institution’s Course Validation Consultancy process for the BA in Illustration and Animation.
Writer-in-residence at the State Library of Queensland (Brisbane, 2009) the Southport School (Gold Coast, 2009), the Lutheran Anglican College (Sunshine Coast, 2009), Belmont School (2014), Villanova College (Brisbane, 2015), the Stonehill International School, Bangalore, India (February 2018).
Multiple creative writing workshops for (amongst others) The State Library of Queensland, the Northern Rivers Writers Centre, the Brisbane Writers Festival, the Byron Writer’s Festival, the Sydney Writers Festival and a number of schools in NSW, WA, SA and Queensland.
Creative Writing Mentor on inaugural ‘ArtStart’ program for Arts Northern Rivers, NSW, 2012.
Miscellaneous
President of Lennox Arts Board (LAB), a not-for-profit arts organisation based in the Northern Rivers, NSW (2010-2017) where I event-managed the Byron Writer’s Festival’s largest off-site festival events showcasing Michael Leunig, Jimmy Barnes, William Finnegan, John Safran, Jimmy Barnes, Margaret Pomerantz, Andrew Frost.
Member of the Australian Society of Authors, the Society of Authors (UK), the Walker Books Authors and Illustrators Trust, the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, the Northern Rivers Writers Centre, the Crime Writers Association (UK and Australia) and the International Thriller Writers Association.
Websites
www.worldofchatterton.com and www.edchatterton.com
Published books as writer:
Silly Circus/Walker Books, 1993
Roxy’s Street/Walker Books, 1994
The Nutty Footy Book/Puffin, 1994
Martin Chatterton’s Weird World of Pop/Hodder, 1995
Martin Chatterton’s Weird World of TV/Hodder, 1995
The Euro Nutty Footy Book/Puffin, 1996
The Utterly Nutty History of Footy/Puffin, 1997
Utterly Nutty World Cup Footy/Puffin, 1998
The Utterly Nutty World of Animals/Puffin, 1998
The Utterly Nutty World of Sport/Puffin, 1998
The Utterly Nutty World of The Movies/Puffin, 1999
The Utterly Nutty World of The Future/Puffin, 1999
The Ultimate A-Z of Footy/ Puffin, 2001
Bad Dog And All That Hollywood Hoo-Hah/Scholastic, 2002
Bad Dog And Those Crazee Martians/Scholastic, 2002
Bad Dog And The Curse Of The President’s Knee/Scholastic, 2002
Bad Dog Rockin’ Up A Phat One In Da House/Scholastic 2003
Bad Dog Goes Barktastic Baby!/Scholastic 2004
Holidaze!/Egmont Books, 2003
Spooks!/Egmont Books, 2003
Puters!/Egmont Books, 2003
Skool!/Egmont Books, 2003
Michigan Moorcroft/ Scholastic, 2003The Brain Finds A Leg/Little Hare 2007
Stunt Mania (Stripes UK, 2007). Children’s fiction grades 5-7
The Brain Finds A Leg (Little Hare, Australia/NZ, 2007). Children’s fiction grades 5-7
Four Boys Go Ape (Stripes UK, 2008). Children’s fiction grades 5-7
By the Picking of My Nose (Little Hare, Australia/NZ, 2009). Children’s fiction grades 5-7
The Brain Full of Holes (Little Hare, Australia/NZ, 2009). Young Adult fiction.
A Belt Around My Bum (Little Hare, Australia/NZ, 2010). Children’s fiction grades 5-7
Chew Bee or Not Chew Bee (Little Hare, Australia/NZ, 2011). Children’s fiction grades 5-7
Mort (Random House Australia/NZ, 2012). Children’s fiction grades 5-7
A Dark Place To Die (Random House UK, 2013). Adult crime fiction
Roadkill (Random House Australia/NZ, 2013). Adult crime fiction
Santa’s Suit (Little Hare Australia/NZ, 2013). Children’s fiction grades 2-5
Mortal Combat (Random House Australia/NZ, 2013). Children’s fiction grades 5-7.
Mortified (Random House Australia/NZ, 2014). Children’s fiction grades 5-7
Down Among the Dead Men (Random House UK, 2014). Adult crime fiction
Underland (Random House Australia/NZ, 2014). Adult crime fiction
Middle School: Rafe’s Aussie Adventure (with James Patterson: Random House Australia, 2015). Children’s fiction grades 5-7
Alexander the Elephant in Zanzibar (with Pat Davern; publ: Love Police/ABC Music Australia 2015). Children’s fiction pre-school/early learner
The Monster Chase (Oxford University Press, 2015). Children’s fiction early learner
Spud and Chips (Oxford University Press, 2015). Children’s fiction early learner
Remission (Caffeine Nights) UK, 2016. Adult fiction.
Middle School: Hollywood 101 (with James Patterson: Random House UK, 2016). Children’s fiction grades 5-7
Escape From Black Mountain (Pearson, 2016)
Middle School: Going Bush (with James Patterson: Random House Australia, 2016). Children’s fiction grades 5-7
Absolute Zero (with James Patterson: Penguin Random House UK, USA, 2017). Adult fiction
Middle School: Million Dollar Mess (with James Patterson: Random House Australia, 2017). Children’s fiction grades 5-7
Middle School: G'Day America! (with James Patterson: Random House Australia, 2018). Children’s fiction grades 5-7
Winter of the White Bear(Dirt Lane Press). Children's picture book, grades 1-4
Published books as illustrator:
Cyril MC by Mary Hoffman/Puffin 1988
Helen Highwater by Roger McGough/Puffin 1989
Tommy Niner and The Planet Of Danger by Tony Bradman/Puffin 1991
Zargon Zoo by Paul Shipton/Heinemann 1991
The Likely Stories by Jon Blake/Viking 1991
Jack and His Computer by CJ Moore/Heinemann 1992
Tommy Niner and The Mystery Spaceship by Tony Bradman/Puffin 1993
Look At Me (In A Funny Hat)! by Richard Johnson, Walker Books 1993
Look At Me (In Funny Clothes)! by Richard Johnson, Walker Books 1993
How To Be A Superkid by Laurence Anholt/Walker Books 1994
Little Stupendo by Jon Blake/Walker Books 1995
Billy Rubbish by Alexander McCall Smith/Methuen 1995
Tommy Niner and The Moon Of Doom by Tony Bradman/Puffin 1996
Nonsense! by Richard Brown/Cambridge University Press/1996
Big Bad Raps by Tony Mitton/Orchard 1996
Royal Raps by Tony Mitton/Orchard1996
Alien On The 99th Floor by Jenny Nimmo/Heinemann1996
Five Little Monkeys by Kate Ruttle/Cambridge University Press 1996
Spider McDrew by Alan Durant/Collins 1996
Happy Birthday Spider McDrew by Alan Durant/Collins 1997
The Magnificent Mummies by Tony Bradman/Puffin 1997
Midnight In Memphis by Tony Bradman/Puffin 1998
Kristel Dimond, Timecop by Sam McBratney/Walker Books 1998
Derek Dungbeetle In Paradise by Nick Storme/Mammoth 1998
Derek DungbeetleGets The Blues by Nick Storme/Mammoth 1998
Fangtastic Raps by Tony Mitton/Orchard 1998
Hop On Top by Tony Mitton/Cambridge University Press 1999
Ham and Jam by Tony Mitton/Cambridge University Press 1999
Jump and Bump by Tony Mitton/Cambridge University Press 1999
The Thing That came From Jason's Nose by Tony Bradman/Mammoth 1999
Little Stupendo Rides Again by Jon Blake/Walker Books 1999
Monster Raps by Tony Mitton/Orchard 1999
Scary Raps by Tony Mitton/Orchard 1999
Robin Hood Raps by Tony Mitton/Orchard 2000
Groovy Greek Hero Raps by Tony Mitton/Orchard 2000
Mega Greek Myth Raps by Tony Mitton/Orchard 2000
Here I Am Said Smedley by Simon Puttock/Mammoth 2000
Stranger From Somewhere In Time by Sam McBratney/Mammoth 2000
The Runaway Pizza by Brenda Parkes/Rigby 2000
Little Stupendo Flies High by Jon Blake/Walker Books 2001
Great Greek Myth Raps by Tony Mitton/Orchard 2001
Charlie Chimpanzee by Tony Mitton/Cambridge University Press 2001
Elvis and the Scooter, Harcourt 2003
Voodoo Child by TonyBradman/Egmont 2004
Final Cut by Tony Bradman/Egmont 2004
Deadly Game by Tony Bradman/Egmont 2004
The Surprise Party by Tony Bradman/Egmont 2005
Elvis and the Space Junk (by Maoliosa Kelly, publ: Rigby Books UK 2005)
Elvis and the Camping Trip (by Maoliosa Kelly, publ: Rigby Books UK 2005)
Prince Albert’s Birthday (by Jane Clarke, publ: Oxford University Press UK 2005)
The Surprise Party (by Tony Bradman, publ: Egmont UK 2005)
Mummies Find Fame by Tony Bradman/Egmont 2006
Usman’s Books (by Julia Donaldson, publ: Oxford University Press UK 2006)
Jack and the Giants (by Julia Donaldson, publ: Oxford University Press UK 2006)
Incredible Creatures/Puffin 2007
Mighty Egyptians by Nigel Crowle/Puffin 2007
Heroic Greeks by Nigel Crowle/Puffin 2007
Amazing Space by Nigel Crowle/Puffin 2007
Freaky Football by Nigel Crowle/Puffin 2007
King Tut's Golden Toilet/Puffin 2007
Hadrian's Lucky Latrine/Puffin 2007
Henry VIII's Privy/Puffin 2007
Queen Victoria's Potty/Puffin 2007
Little Horrors (series x 6 by Tiffany Mandrake publ: Little Hare Books 2008-2010)
Action Dogs (series x 4 graphic novels by Steve Skidmore and Steve Barlow, publ: Usborne UK 2012)
Elsie Radio by Katie Forde (Pearson Educational, 2014)
Harry the Hero (by Tony Bradman, publ: Oxford University Press, 2014)
Skate Park Survival by Philip Simpson (Pearson, 2014)
Middle School: Rafe’s Aussie Adventure (Random House Australia, 2015)
Alexander the Elephant in Zanzibar (by Pat Davern/Martin Chatterton, publ: Love Police/ABC Music, Australia 2015)
Danny Dreadnought (by Jonathan Emmett, publ: Egmont Books UK, 2015)
The Emperor’s New Clones (by Jonathan Emmett, publ: Egmont Books UK, 2015)
The Monster Chase (Oxford University Press, 2015)
Spud and Chips (Oxford University Press, 2015)
Escape From Black Mountain (Pearson, 2016)
Thimble Monkey Superstar (by Jon Blake, Firefly Press UK, 2016)
Dribbles (by Michael Wagner, Pearson Australia, 2016)
Middle School: Going Bush (Random House Australia, 2016)
Middle School: Hollywood 101 (with James Patterson: Random House UK, 2016)
Thimble Holiday Havoc (by Jon Blake, Firefly Press UK, 2017)
Middle School: Million Dollar Mess (with James Patterson: Random House Australia, 2017)
Middle School: G'Day America (with James Patterson: Random House Australia, 2019)
Thimble Wonga Bonkers (by Jon Blake, Firefly Press UK, 2020)