Daren King

{{Short description|English novelist and children's writer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2015}} {{Use British English|date=December 2015}} {{Infobox writer  |image = Daren king novelist.jpg |imagesize = 250px |caption = Self-portrait, June 2009  | name = Daren King | birth_name = Laurence Daren King | birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1972}} | birth_place = Harlow, Essex, England | occupation = Writer | nationality = British | period = 1999–present | genres = Literary novels, children's mystery and supernatural fiction | subject =  | movement = New Puritans | notableworks= }}

'''Laurence Daren King''' (born 1972 in Harlow, Essex) is an English novelist and children's writer. His debut novel, ''Boxy an Star'', made the shortlist for the Guardian First Book Award and the ten finalists for the Booker Prize in 1999. He won the Nestlé Children's Book Prize gold medal in the 6 to 8-year-old readers category for ''Mouse Noses on Toast'' in 2006.

==Biography== Daren King was born in Harlow, Essex in 1972.<ref name="Faber&Faber">{{cite web |title=Daren King |url=https://www.faber.co.uk/author/daren-king/ |website=Faber & Faber |accessdate=12 July 2019 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304051223/http://www.faber.co.uk/author/daren-king/ |archivedate=4 March 2016 |language=EN}}</ref> He left school with one O-level, but later graduated from a creative writing course at Bath Spa University College.<ref name="Dances">{{cite news |last1=Guest |first1=Katy |title=Daren King: The author who dances |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/features/daren-king-the-author-who-dances-846073.html |accessdate=12 July 2019 |work=Independent |date=13 June 2008 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100706014655/http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/features/daren-king-the-author-who-dances-846073.html |archivedate=6 July 2010}}</ref>

==Works== Whilst studying in Bath, King wrote his first novel, Boxy an Star, which was then published by Abacus in 1999.<ref name="3am-mob">{{cite web |last1=Stevens |first1=Andrew |title=daren king mob |url=https://www.3ammagazine.com/3am/daren-king-mob/ |website=3am |accessdate=12 July 2019 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170712030840/http://www.3ammagazine.com/3am/daren-king-mob/ |archivedate=12 July 2017 |language=EN}}</ref> The book was shortlisted for the Guardian First Book Award and longlisted for the Booker Prize.<ref name="PRH">{{cite web |title=About the Author |url=https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/authors/58301/daren-king |website=Penguin Random House |accessdate=12 July 2019 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20190712162810/https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/authors/58301/daren-king |archivedate=12 July 2019}}</ref> The same year he contributed to a book of erotica published by Zadie Smith when she was writer in residence at the Institute of Contemporary Arts.<ref name="Dances" />

By virtue of contributing a short story to the anthology ''All Hail the New Puritans'' in 2000, King became part of the New Puritans, a short-lived literary movement. The editors of the anthology, Nicholas Blincoe and Matt Thorne, appear in his novel ''Jim Giraffe'' as the characters Mr Bingo and Ape Hands.<ref name="Dances" />

In 2006, King published his first children's book ''Mouse Noses on Toast.'' It was illustrated by David Roberts. The two have since collaborated on more books.

==Selected publications==

===Adult fiction=== * ''Boxy an Star'' {{ISBN|0-349-11192-8}} (Abacus, 1999) * ''Jim Giraffe'' {{ISBN|978-0-09-944516-6}} Vintage, 2005) * ''Tom Boler'' {{ISBN|978-0-09-944515-9}} (Vintage, 2005) * ''Manual'' {{ISBN|978-0-571-23066-2}} (Faber & Faber, 2008)

===Children's fiction=== * ''Mouse Noses on Toast'', illustrated by David Roberts (Faber, 2006) * ''Sensible Hare and the Case of Carrots'', illus. Roberts (Faber, 2007) * ''Peter the Penguin Pioneer'', illus. Roberts (Quercus, 2009)<ref name=worldcat-duo/> * ''Frightfully Friendly Ghosties'', illus. Roberts (Quercus, 2010 to 2012) – series of four novellas<ref name=worldcat-duo/><ref>[http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/pe.cgi?35783 "Frightfully Friendly Ghosties – Series Bibliography"]. ISFDB. Retrieved 2015-04-14.</ref>

===Adult cartoon=== * ''Smally the Mouse: Smally's Party'' {{ISBN|978-0-7475-7903-8}} (Bloomsbury, 2005)

===Other=== * Contributor to ''All Hail the New Puritans'', an anthology of stories edited by Nicholas Blincoe and Matt Thorne {{ISBN|978-1-84115-349-0}} (Fourth Estate, 2000)

== References == {{reflist |25em |refs=

<ref name=worldcat-duo> [http://www.worldcat.org/search?q=au%3A+King%2C+Daren%3B+au%3A+Roberts%2C+David&qt=owc_search Books by Daren King and David Roberts] at WorldCat – 15 titles including six German and one Catalan language editions. Retrieved 2015-04-14.</ref> }}

==External links== * {{official website |darenking.com}} * [http://www.3ammagazine.com/3am/daren-king-mob/ Interview with 3:AM Magazine] * [http://www.newstatesman.com/books/2008/07/daren-king-manual-book-novel Review of ''Manual''] in ''New Statesman'' * {{isfdb name|131146}} * {{LCAuth|nb99011768|Daren King, 1972–|6|ue}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:King, Daren}} Category:1972 births Category:21st-century English novelists Category:English children's writers Category:Alumni of Bath Spa University Category:Living people Category:Date of birth missing (living people)