Colin Cotterill was born in London in 1952. He trained as a physical education teacher and embarked on a round-the-world trip that never quite ended.

He has been a sports instructor in Israel, a primary school teacher in Australia, a big brother to adults with learning difficulties on Cape Cod, and something of a university lecturer in Japan. Most of his later years have been spent in Southeast Asia.

Colin has taught and trained teachers in Thailand and on the Burmese border. He spent four years in Laos working for UNESCO and wrote and directed a series on language teaching for Thai television. Meanwhile, he kept his other two passions alive: illustration and writing.

He currently lives in Chumphon, on the Gulf of Thailand, with his wife, Kyoko, and six eccentric dogs. He listens to jazz and enjoys the occasional glass of red wine.