THOMAS TAYLOR has always lived near the sea (though that’s not difficult in the British Isles). He comes from a long line of seafarers but chose a career as an illustrator because that involves less getting wet and better biscuits.

His first professional illustration commission, straight out of art school, was the cover art for Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. This led to a lot more drawing until he finally plucked up the courage to try writing for himself. It turns out that turning biscuits into books is even more fun when you get to create the story, too.

Thomas currently lives on the south coast of England, which provided a lot of the weather for this book. As a keen beachcomber he has found several messages in bottles over the years, including one that appeared to be in secret code. He hasn’t been struck by lightning yet, but as the best time to find beachcombing treasures is just after a storm, it’s surely only a matter of time.