Jonathan Stroud (edit name/settings)

Born in 1970 in Bedford, England, Stroud began to write stories at a very young age. He grew up in St Albans where he enjoyed reading books, drawing pictures, and writing stories. Between the ages seven and nine he was often ill, so he spent most of his days in the hospital or in his bed at home. To escape boredom, he would occupy himself with books and stories.<1> After he completed his studies of English literature at the University of York, he worked in London as an editor for the Walker Books store. During the 1990s, he started publishing his own works and quickly gained success.<clarification needed><1>
Among his most prominent works are the best-selling<2> Bartimaeus Trilogy. A special feature of these novels compared to others of their genre is that Stroud examines the stereotypes and ethics of the magician class and the enslaved demons. This is done by telling the story from the perspective of the sarcastic and slightly egomaniacal djinni Bartimaeus. The books in this series are The Amulet of Samarkand, The Golem's Eye, Ptolemy's Gate, and The Ring of Solomon (although this not part of the official trilogy), his first books to be published in the United States.
Stroud lives in St Albans, Hertfordshire, with his two children, Isabelle and Arthur, and his wife Gina, an illustrator of children's books.<1>
One of his more recent novels is Heroes of the Valley, released in paperback in April 2010. A fourth book from the Bartimaeus series, The Ring of Solomon, was released in October 2010.

Source: Wikipedia