is the author of books published world-wide; two thirds of his fiction has been short-listed for awards, including citations from the American Library Assocation and the New York Public Library, the Choysa Bursary for Children's Writers and the Esther Glen Medal. The author of thirty novels, twenty-three for children and young adults, Mr. Taylor has published three new books in 1996 alone: Circles (Penguin NZ); The Fatz Twins & the Haunted House (Harper Collins NZ), and Nick's Story (Longacre Press). A former school teacher and principal of the Ohakune School, he turned to writing full time in 1985. His first novel Episode came out in 1970, and since then his works have been published in multiple editions by Penguin, Scholastic, and others in Australia, the US, and Europe. He is a fellow of the Arts Council of New Zealand Toi Aotearoa.