Cole, Stephen 1971–

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Cole, Stephen 1971–

Personal

Born 1971, in Bedfordshire, England. Education: Graduate of University of East Anglia.

Addresses

Home —Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, England. Agent —c/o Author Mail, Bloomsbury Publishing, 38 Soho Square, London W1D 3HB, England.

Career

Writer. British Broadcasting Corporation, London, England, editor and writer of children's magazines, commissioning editor of science-fiction titles for BBC Worldwide, 1997, creative editor of pre-teen titles; Ladybird Books, London, managing editor; Simon & Schuster, London, senior editor, then consulting editor, 2001; Rocket Editorial Ltd., founder, 2002.

Writings

Timeless (based on Dr. Who television series), BBC Books (London, England), 2003.

The Monsters Inside (based on Dr. Who television series), BBC Books (London, England), 2005.

To the Slaughter (based on Dr. Who television series), BBC Books (London, England), 2005.

Madagascar: Essential Guide (based on the animated film), Dorling Kindersley (London, England), 2005.

Author of other books for children, including film and television adaptations and spin-offs.

"WERELING" TRILOGY

Wounded, Razorbill (New York, NY), 2005.

Prey, Razorbill (New York, NY), 2005.

Resurrection, Razorbill (New York, NY), 2005.

Work in Progress

A further teen title, due in 2006; the children's book Astrosaurs, for Simon & Schuster, 2006.

Sidelights

A children's book author and the founder of Rocket Editorial Ltd., Stephen Cole is the author of the popular "Wereling" trilogy, which includes the novels Wounded, Prey, and Resurrection. Cole established himself as an editor and writer in the London publishing industry by holding a series of posts at BBC Books, and after several years decided to embark on a freelance writing/editing career focusing on children's literature. In an interview on Bloomsbury.com Cole admitted: "I've always loved writing, and always wanted to do it for a living. I just love to write anything, from novels to articles to songs to puzzles to emails!" Many of Cole's other published works are based on films and television programs; his The Monsters Inside, a novel for teens based on Great Britain's popular Dr. Who television program, was a top sci-fi/ fantasy bestseller in 2005.

Cole's "Wereling" series opens with Wounded, which follows seventeen-year-old Kate Folan and sixteen-year-old Tom Anderson as they work out their feelings for each other while a dark secret keeps them apart. Kate hails from a family of werewolves, although she will not undergo the wolfen transformation unless she mates with a male werewolf. When her family finds and rescues a mortal teen who has been wounded during an accident in the woods, Kate fall for the young mortal. The news that Kate's family has "turned" Tom comes as a shock to both teens; The boy, Tom, is none too happy to discover that he is now a werewolf, while Kate is thrown into an emotional tailspin. Rather than either ignoring their growing feelings for each other or succumbing to their supernatural fate, Kate and Tom decide to search for a third option: a cure.

As the "Wereling" trilogy continues, Kate and Tom's joint quest leads them far beyond the desire to consummate their relationship. Ultimately, through the course of Prey and Resurrection, they learn of the growing power of the lupine community. When a sixteenth-century corpse unearthed in a German peat bog is rumored to be that of the first-ever werewolf, lupine powers amass even further, forcing the teens to join the struggle to end a revolution that threatens all human life on Earth.

Praising the first volume in the "Wereling" trilogy, School Library Journal contributor Anna M. Nelson wrote that Cole injects his story with "fast-paced action, horror, intrigue, plot twists, and a touch of romance," creating a mix that is "sure to please horror fans." In Kliatt Joseph DeMarco praised Wounded as "a solid read" that contains enough entertainment "to please even tough customers."