Iain M. Banks
Iain [Menzies] Banks was born in Fife in 1954, and was educated at Stirling University, where he studied English Literature, Philosophy and Psychology.
Banks came to widespread and controversial public notice with the publication of his first novel, The Wasp Factory, in 1984.
His first science fiction novel, Consider Phlebas, was published in 1987. He has continued to write both mainstream fiction (as Iain Banks) and science fiction (as Iain M. Banks).
He is now acclaimed as one of the most powerful, innovative and exciting writers of his generation: The Guardian has called him "the standard by which the rest of SF is judged". William Gibson, the New York Times-bestselling author of Spook Country describes Banks as a "phenomenon".
Iain M. Banks lives in Fife, Scotland.
Stephen Baxter
Stephen Baxter was born in Liverpool, England, in 1957. Since 1987 he has published over forty books, mostly science fiction novels, and over a hundred short stories. He has degrees in mathematics, from Cambridge University, engineering, from Southampton University, and in business administration, from Henley Management College. He has worked as a teacher of maths and physics, and for several years in information technology. His first professionally published short story appeared in 1987, and his first novel in 1991. He has been a full-time author since 1995. He is Vice-President of the British Science Fiction Association, and a Vice-President of the HG Wells Society. He now lives in Northumberland.
