Ken Preston

Ken Preston

Novelist, speaker, creative writing workshop leader, available for school visits, one to one coaching and ghostwriting assignments.

schools.kenpreston.co.uk
Booking enquiry
Ken Preston - author tools

Available for

Workshop, Talk, Reading, Interview, Commission a book

Audiences

Age 7 to 11, Age 11 to 14, Age 14 to 16, Age 16 to 18+, Further Education, University, Adult

Genres

Adventure, Crime, Drama, Fantasy, Fiction, Fiction narrative, Historical fiction, Horror, Mystery, Narrative, Romance, Short story, Suspense-thriller

Book types

Fiction for young-adults

Details

'Ken was brilliant. His workshops were thoroughly enjoyed by all the students. He worked with the whole of year 8 in a large workshop and also in small groups with year 10 and 9, all the students were engaged. It was amazing how quickly he got them writing creative pieces. Ken also did a year 7 assembly, we had some ICT issues which he was unfazed by and delivered the session without his ppt, which really helped us. Would certainly book Ken again'

Eden Boys' Leadership Academy, Birmingham East

Services

I offer full and half day school visits, including an assembly and creative writing workshops.

The sessions can be flexible and I am happy to talk with you about any particular outcomes you have for the day.

Creative writing is my passion and enabling others to write creatively is a fantastic privilege.

My workshops are fun, fast and all about inspiring the young people to write as soon as possible in the sessions. I encourage sharing our work and the results always surprise and delight me.

I have been leading monthly creative writing workshops for children and young adults for six years now with Writing West Midlands, I was commissioned twice to work with the ReadOn EU Project, and I have visited schools, colleges, and universities.

I am DBS checked and hold public liability insurance.

I write young adult books, with strong female and male leads, and plotlines involving demons in Victorian London, time travelling dinosaurs and a supernatural pirate tale.

I also write horror and thriller novels for adults, and pocket novel romances for the My Weekly range.

I’m also a member of the Association of Speakers Clubs, and meet twice a month to hone my public speaking skills. I am also on the committee, and responsible for education.

I love visiting schools and running workshops, and I believe it is more important than ever that we equip our young people to write and read well, extensively, imaginatively and with clarity, and able to be inclusive of all cultures and groups whilst celebrating our differences.

Testimonials

'An inspiring visit to our academy from author @KenPreston100 today. Thank you so much for coming to see us and for the fantastic creative writing workshops with our students.' Olive AP Academy, Thurrock

'Hannah has loved writing club from night one and has probably never been as enthusiastic about any other club. She has continued to write stories in her spare time and I can only imagine it would have helped her work in school. The main thing is she has had fun!' James Cole

'It was very informative and met my expectations. Great advice and practical tips. Thank you.' Jane Webb, How to Write a Pocket Novel Workshop

'I’ve repeated the words “thank you” so often that somehow, they don’t seem adequate enough to express my feelings of gratitude. You’ve provided me with not just an online formatting service but generosity of spirit, speed and efficiency,  dependability and trust. I regard these as rare qualities, rare qualities indeed. Caroline agrees with me and has also expressed her gratitude. A big thank you from both of us.' Ian Smith

'Ken’s workshops manage to be extremely practical but not limiting. You feel able to explore the topic, to try out ideas and just to enjoy the atmosphere he creates. Yet throughout it all, you are getting specific, informed, useful information from a writer who has done exactly what you want to do. I came away having had a good time and feeling fired up, ready to write.' William Gallagher, Scriptwriter

'Both Milo and Matilda have thoroughly enjoyed creative writing this term. Matilda has said that she feels it has helped her with her SATs this year, and helped improve her vocabulary and spelling. Milo loves anything that allows his imagination to run riot!' Gemma Willetts-Court

'This course was ideal for me, as someone who has been away from the writing world for a long time and talking about formats and structures was great. I would have enjoyed a longer course as I was enjoying it so much.' Jennie Walker

Event feedback

Ken was brilliant. His workshops were thoroughly enjoyed by all the students. He worked with the whole of year 8 in a large workshop and also in small groups with year 10 and 9, all the students were engaged. It was amazing how quickly he got them writing creative pieces. Ken also did a year 7 assembly, we had some ICT issues which he was unfazed by and delivered the session with out his ppt, which really helped us. Would certainly book Ken again

Sheraz Gulzar-Khan (Eden Boys Leadership Academy Birmingham East)

Ken was fantastic; his writing workshop was engaging, with plenty of ideas that the students could interact with. They created some really imaginative pieces, and were inspired to write extensively. Ken's assemblies were also engaging; he allowed students to believe that publishing is a career obtainable to them, and he answered their questions with warmth and patience. We loved having him at our school!

Louise Baker (Kingsmead School)

Ken delivered an engaging workshop to some Y2 and Y3 pupils at our school. The children were so excited to meet a real author and Ken answered their many questions patiently. All pupils were inspired to write and loved the variety of activities they did. Ken has a lovely gentle manner with the children and they were all really keen to share what they had written with him and each other. We will definitely invite Ken back for another workshop in the future. Thank you!

Natalie Tehrani (The Study Prep School)

Ken worked with Year 7 to create some suspenseful creative pieces which the students really enjoyed! After the session, students were keen to share their writing with each other and a few have been inspired to start writing short stories at home! Ken was enthusiastic, engaging and adaptable. Thanks Ken!

Eleanor Gill (Shireland Collegiate Academy)

Books by Ken Preston

I have written eighteen novels plus many more short stories, in the genres of young adult, romance and horror.
978-1-915813-00-8
Planet of the Dinosaurs Book One: Project Wormhole

Planet of the Dinosaurs Book One: Project Wormhole

What would you do if you woke up tomorrow to find that the dinosaurs had returned? Three teenagers, caught up in a freak electrical storm, are thrown into the near future where dinosaurs rule the earth once more. Now on the run, in a familiar yet hostile environment, the three teens must work out how to find their way back to their own time. And keep from getting eaten 
978-1-915813-02-2
Planet of the Dinosaurs Book Two: Project Survival

Planet of the Dinosaurs Book Two: Project Survival

Not all monsters are prehistoric. Following the dramatic climax in Book One of this thrilling adventure series, Daniel has now been separated from his friends Lee and Will. His former bodyguard, Renton, is now his kidnapper, intent on taking Daniel north to the Lake District, and the IntelliCorps headquarters. Lee and Will trail behind, intent on rescuing their friend from the thuggish American. On their separate journeys the teenagers make new friends along with new enemies, and find out that sometimes, flesh eating dinosaurs might not be the most dangerous thing they will encounter. Will Lee and Will survive this hostile world long enough to find their friend, Daniel? And even if they do, will Renton let him go without a fight? 
978-1-915813-18-3
The Sigil of Semjaza

The Sigil of Semjaza

Who is Caxton Tempest? There are certain people intent on finding the answer to that question. Perhaps they could ask his friend Johnny Chen, loyal companion and master of the martial arts. Or maybe Denver McCade, gun toting cowgirl on the run in London's opium dens as she tries to escape her own personal demons. They could try asking Murmur, once a king in Hell but now the owner of a shabby shop of the occult in London's East End. Then there's Inspector Arthur C Behrends, of London’s police force who has his hands full with a string of grisly murders. Or Zedekiah Kralik, but what's his connection to Denver and why is he so intent on gathering together the fragments of the Sigil of Semjaza? They could ask Billy Rackitt, escaped convict who has discovered another London beneath the London he knows so well. Or maybe they could just ask Jim Kerrigan. Orphan, street urchin, thrust into the dark and dangerous world of Caxton Tempest, Jim may come to find out more about his rescuer than he would like. 
978-1-915813-16-9
The Devil and Edward Teach

The Devil and Edward Teach

London, 1714, and tragedy has struck for Abigail Rose. With her sister, and the mysterious young adventurer, Cornelius Wilde, she is sent to Nassau by her uncle. En route she is plunged into a dark, terrible adventure, where the price for her heart’s desire may be her soul itself. Exciting, colourful and full of larger than life characters, The Devil and Edward Teach takes you on a seafaring voyage to the doors of Hell, as the notorious pirate Blackbeard meets his ultimate adversary. 

Photos

Ken Preston - first image
Ken Preston - first image
Ken Preston - first image
Ken Preston - first image
Ken Preston - first image

Keywords

ACTION AND ADVENTURE ADULT WORKSHOPS ASPIRING WRITERS BIRMINGHAM BLACK COUNTRY BOOKS FOR BOYS CREATING CHARACTERS CREATIVE WRITING WORKSHOPS CREATIVITY DINOSAURS DUDLEY INDEPENDENT PUBLISHING INSPIRATIONAL INTERACTIVE SESSION KEY STAGE 1 KEY STAGE 2 KEY STAGE 3 KS1 KS2 KS3 LITERACY PLOTTING PUBLIC SPEAKING PUBLISHING SANDWELL SELF-PUBLISHING STAFFORDSHIRE STORIES SUSPENSE TEEN FICTION TIME TRAVEL UNIVERSITY VISITS WEST MIDLANDS WORCESTERSHIRE WORKSHOPS WORLD BOOK DAY WORSKHOPS WRITING WORKSHOPS YOUNG ADULTS YOUNG WRITERS