After writing six adult novels, Julia Clarke decided to write for teenagers, setting herself the challenge of creating contemporary stories which they could read for pleasure.

She found instant success with her first teenage novel, The Starling Tree and the four novels which followed have all been praised by critics and teenagers.

'You Lose Some, You Win Some', Julia’s third novel for OUP, handles issues of first love and parental break-up in an extremely sensitive and highly-readable way. It is set on a farm in the Yorkshire Dales near to where Julia and her family live.

Julia left school at 16 and her love of books led to work in a library. After gaining a Certificate of Education at Goldsmith’s College, London, she worked in the theatre as an actress and writer. In 1999 she was awarded a distinction in an MA in creative writing from the University of Leeds.

Profile supplied by OUP. Last updated June 2003.