Mark Ramsden was born on a Friday the Thirteenth. It's been downhill ever since.

After studying music he toured and recorded with artists such as Bert Jansch, Roy Harper, Kiki Dee, Tom Robinson (sax solo War Baby), his own jazz quartet and many other theatre and commercial projects in London, Munich and Hong Kong.

Some of his classical music entertained tens of people on radio Three.

His earlier fiction was published by Serpent's Tail. After too much research into debauchery and delirium Dread was written while 'differently sane': trapped on a houseboat in Medway; too many powders and potions; not enough sleep. He has since made a full recovery, though many can't tell the difference.