W J Corbett joined the Merchant Navy as a galley-boy when he was sixteen, and saw the world. Later, during National Service, he became an Army Physical Training Instructor. Alll his many jobs involved some form of physical labour and he did mostly building work to earn a living.

Having been an avid reader from the age of five, he decided to write a book. He borrowed a typewriter and while learning to type wrote THE SONG OF PENTECOST which went on to win the Whitbread Award and became an international bestseller. PENTECOST AND THE CHOSEN ONE and PENTECOST OF LICKEY TOP completed the trilogy.

W J Corbett had the ability to weave themes of friendship and betrayal, faith and apathy, free choice and destiny into an immensely readable narrative of action and suspense. He also had a rare sense of comedy which made his writing even more original. His ARK OF THE PEOPLE sequence has been described as "a cross between WATERSHIP DOWN and BATTLESTAR GALACTICA".

Sadly W J Corbett passed away in February 2003. He wrote two more titles before he died, THE LAST CHANCE ZOO which published in April 2003 and its sequel, RETURN TO THE LAST CHANCE ZOO which published in November 2003.

Ken runs a remarkable zoo. This time, he's got beavers who won't stop building dams, unruly ostriches, a baby giraffe afraid of heights, and a dragon at the gates.