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. For the SOUL Prophecy trilogy, Chris travelled extensively to experience first-hand the cultures featured in the story – from living with the Shona people in Zimbabwe, to trekking the Inca trail, to meditating in a Buddhist temple amid the mountains of Japan. His best-selling books are published in over 25 languages and have garnered more than 35 children’s book award nominations, winning the Northern Ireland Book Awards 2011, the Hampshire Book Award 2014, the Brilliant Book Award 2014 and the Quick Read 2017. His first book The Way of the Warrior is deemed one of Puffin's 70 Best Ever Books, alongside Treasure Island and Robin Hood. Chris was a featured World Book Day 2010 author and involved in the Read To A Million Kids campaign. His unique book performances and readings have garnered numerous accolades and he has appeared before more than 150,000 school children in more than 500 schools, 50 book festivals and 25 countries. Before becoming a full-time author, he was a professional musician and songwriter (who once performed for HRH Queen Elizabeth II). His first five books were about the music industry and included the critically acclaimed, Heart & Soul: Revealing the Craft of Songwriting. He is a keen supporter of teachers and librarians in their quest to improve literacy skills and provides free Teachers' Guide to his books at www.youngsamurai.com and www.bodyguard-books.co.uk. To discover more about Chris go to www.chrisbradford.co.uk
