Mark Cairns

Born in Kent, the year that The Glass Trumpet is set, Mark Cairns grew up in London, New York and Belgium before finally settling down back in Kent at the age of 13. Over the years he has worked as, amongst other things, fruit picker, factory worker, advertising salesman, film examiner for TV and motorcycle courier, before finally opening his own photographic studio at Spitalfields in London�s East End, where he shot mainly pop stars through the late 90s. He went on to launch an Internet logistics business in 2001 with money raised in the City and even got a mention on the front page of the FT. Mark underwent major spinal-neurosurgery in late 2005 and the recovery period, although long, enabled him to complete this, his first novel. He lives in Highbury, north London, with his partner Diane and four boys.