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Former crime journalist Roger Cottrell operates in two main genres: dystopian science fiction and crime and political conspiracy thrillers. He is also interested in the mixing and synthesis of these genres in literature, film and graphic novels and cites Nigel Kneale and Troy Kennedy Martin as his main dramatic influences. literary influences are cited below. Roger writes full length novels (mostly crime) novellas (mostly science fiction) film scripts and panel scripts for graphic novels. His favourite graphic artists are Jim Fitzpatrick and Sean Phillips. Mis lifelong admiration for George Orwell is featured in his novel, THE LAST MAN OUT OF EUROPE which is availaible in the magazine DARK SIDE OF THE SUN. This can be ordered from www.blindsamurai.com His passion for punk and heavy metal is revealed in the titles of his projects. Roger served briefly in the Army Intelligence Corps during which time he was politically radicalized, then became ajournalist after University. During the 1980s and early 1990s he was a Trotskyist and nenber of the Workers Revolutionary Party. He was also active in Anti-Fascist-Action. The former provided the background for his novel, ENEMY WITHIN - a bleak retrospective crime thriller set during the Miners strike shortlisted for the 2004 Dundee Book prize. It too, is available on www.blindsamurai.com A still bleaker sequel, COOL BRITANNIA, which has black cop Alan Kemp infiltrating a violent football firm in 1990s Birmingham is currently being written and Kemp also features in STRAIGHT TO HELL, a movie script about racism and fascism. In 2001, Roger attended the Irish National film School in Dun Loghaire and has an MA in Script Writing and Film. He followed this with a PHD in English on British crime Films at Queens University Belfast where he also taught. His cyberpunk thriller, WAR CHILD, set in the corporate controlled Baghdad of 2048 was short listed or the 2005 UPC Science Fiction Award (ranked 3rd out of 98) This is now one of four graphic novels to be developed and produced through Roger's own company, ABHARTACH COMICS in West Cork. The web site will be www.abhartachcomics.com and may even be up and running by the time you read this. The other comics are STYGIOPHOBIA (which features Abhartach the Vampire in contemporaryt Birmingham and Dublin) STRAIGHT TO HELL and THE MERLIN GENE - a Quatermass Tribute. Roger is from Birmingham and has lived in ireland for eight years.