Chris d'Lacey is a renowned English author, best known for his children's books that often feature fantasy elements. He was born in Malta in December 1954 and later moved to Leicester and Bolton as a child. D'Lacey studied biology at the University of York and eventually found himself working at the University of Leicester in their Pre-Clinical Sciences department. Although his early writing consisted mainly of songs, he turned to fiction at the age of 32, writing a 250,000-word story about polar bears for his wife. However, it would be another seven years before he wrote any more fiction.
D'Lacey's writing career took off when he heard about a competition to write a story for young children. His entry, titled 'A Hole at the Pole,' didn't win, but he decided to send it to a publisher anyway. To his surprise, the publisher accepted it, and D'Lacey's first children's novel, 'Fly, Cherokee, Fly,' was published in 1998. This book was inspired by an injured pigeon he found in Victoria Park, which he nursed back to health and kept as a pet for 14 years. Since then, D'Lacey has written over twenty children's books, including 'Pawnee Warrior,' a sequel to 'Fly, Cherokee, Fly,' and 'The Last Dragon Chronicles,' a series that has sold nearly four million copies worldwide.
The Last Dragon Chronicles is one of D'Lacey's most popular series, and his book 'Dark Fire' is considered a fan favorite. In addition to this series, D'Lacey has also written the Erth Dragons series and the UNICORNE Files series, which have been well-received by young readers. Despite his success in children's literature, D'Lacey never planned to write for children initially. He only turned to children's fiction after a friend suggested he enter a competition to write a story for nine-year-olds.
D'Lacey's writing is influenced by his personal experiences and environmental themes, and his books often contain events that have happened to him. In July 2002, he was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Leicester for his contributions to children's literature. Although writing is now his main source of income, he still works at the university as the operator of the confocal microscope. D'Lacey's favorite children's books include the Paddington Bear series and The Hobbit, and his favorite children's authors are Allan Ahlberg and Roald Dahl. He currently lives in Devon, England, where he enjoys staring at the sea and playing the ukulele.