Malorie Blackman (edit name/settings)

Malorie Blackman is probably best known for her series 'Noughts and Crosses' which featured in the BBC Big Read in 2003. She grew up in Peckham (this striking a chord with Tinie Tempah - also from Peckham - who name-checked her in his song Written in the Stars after his sister explained the concept of Noughts and Crosses) and attended the grammar school there. She grew up wanting to be an English teacher but instead ended up in Computing. She has an HNC from Thames Polytechnic and is also a graduate of the National Film and Television School.
Starting with Not So Stupid, her first novel, Malorie Blackman has written over 50 children's and young adult books, to much acclaim. She has also done screen and script writing for shows such as Byker Grove and her own book's adaptations: Wizziwig and Pig Heart Boy.
Malorie was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2008 Birthday Honours. Blackman married her husband Neil in the 1990s and their daughter Elizabeth was born in 1995.