Chris Bradford is a true believer in 'practising what you preach'. For his award-winning Young Samurai series, he trained in samurai swordmanship, karate, ninjutsu and earned his black belt in Zen Kyu Shin Taijutsu. For his new BODYGUARD series, Chris embarked on an intensive close protection course to become a qualified professional bodyguard. During his training, he acquired skills in unarmed combat, defensive driving, tactical firearms, threat assessments, surveillance, and even anti-ambush exercises. His best-selling books are published in over 20 languages and have garnered more than 18 children's book award nominations, including shortlist for the Red House Book Awards 2009 and winner of the Northern Ireland Book Awards 2011. Before becoming a full-time author, he was a professional musician (who once performed for HRH Queen Elizabeth II), songwriter and music teacher. He lives in England with his wife, two sons and two cats. To discover more about Chris go towww.chrisbradford.co.uk