Background
Born Michael James Ryder on 18th December 1985 to parents Debra and David Ryder I spent my childhood growing up in Ramsgate on the rather grotty Nixon Avenue council estate until finally we moved to somewhere a little bit less crime-ridden, and moved in to the house on the edge of Broadstairs where my dad still lives to this day. As a child I attended both Dame Janet Infants and Dame Janet Junior schools where in my final year I starred as 'Big Sharky' in the end of year school play, even gracing the world with my then-lovely voice singing a solo of all things in front of a number of very worried looking parents.
From Dame Janet I then moved on to Dane Court Grammar School Broadstairs where I achieved very good GCSE and A-level results before taking something of a divergent course off of the accepted route of 6th form and university and decided to go and get more A-levels at Thanet College, where I spent much of my time working on my now completed 'The Powers that be' trilogy. Much to my delight I am actually mentioned in the Thanet College maths and science itinery as an example of an outstanding maths and science student, though I am yet to tell them I actually left my future destination of Imperial College London for the slightly less glamorous life of West London!
A year at Imperial College London followed Thanet College, where I spent a trying year studying Mechanical Engineering, achieving an aggregate pass for the year, but finding that the Central London lifestyle and middle-class institution of Imperial College really wasn't for me. When you find yourself spending all your time writing and not studying fluid dynamics questions, you really know you're doing the wrong thing! As a result of this life changing decision I am now studying at Brunel University where I feel a lot more comfortable with my lot in life, though am still hoping one day to perhaps study a masters and maybe even study for a second degree in History. As you may have figured by now, I love learning, and am multi-talented enough to be able to be successful in most things I turn my head to. My ultimate dream however will always be to become an established author and live off the funds my books generate.
