Author Photo Iain Philpott

Tim Lott was born in 1956 in Southall, West London. He was educated at the local grammar school and worked on local newspapers before becoming a music journalist and a magazine publisher. At 27 he attended the LSE where he studied Politics and History. Subsequently he worked as a magazine editor, TV producer and feature writer before publishing his first book, THE SCENT OF DRIED ROSES in 1996, which won the Ackerley/PEN prize for Autobiography. His first novel, WHITE CITY BLUE won the Whitbread First Novel Award, and his second novel, RUMOURS OF A HURRICANE was shortlisted for the Whitbread Novel Award. His other books are THE LOVE SECRETS OF DON JUAN and THE SEYMOUR TAPES.

His first novel for children, FEARLESS, will be published by Walker in June 2007. There will be an adult edition as well as the children's edition.

Tim has three daughters and lives in North West London with his life partner, Dr Rachael Newberry, who is an academic.

The smartly painted exterior of the City Community Faith School hides a disturbing secret. Behind its walls, one thousand girls are forced to labour in the city's laundry, separated from their families and deprived of their freedom.

One of these girls is Little Fearless, a courageous spirit who never gives up hope that one day they will be rescued. Unafraid of the punishment she will face, Little Fearless escapes the institute to tell her story to the world. But why does nobody believe she's telling the truth?