Author: Richard W Hardwick

Richard is a writer and writing tutor, who also works in the homeless sector. His first novel "Kicked Out" was published by Beautiful Books in 2009, becoming Waterstone's Recommended Read and Borders Book of the Month. His second book, the memoir "Andalucia", was published by his own publishing company Lapwing Books and was described by Booker Prize winner Pat Barker as "told with great skill...both moving and inspiring". Richard taught creative writing and edited the prison magazine at HMP Frankland for eight years and was HMP Durham Writer in Residence in 2011. During 2013 he was Writer in Residence for Durham University and the return of the Lindisfarne Gospels. Together with internationally acclaimed photographer Paul Alexander Knox, he followed a 9th century journey as the Community of St Cuthbert fled Lindisfarne from viking invasion with the body of St Cuthbert and the Lindisfarne Gospels. Information about the journey, the exhibition and the book can be found at www.stcuthbertsfinaljourney.com Richard believes creative writing has great therapeutic power and plans to move through society helping others tell their stories. His second publication for Lapwing Books was Shattered Images and Building Bridges - a powerful hardback collection of writing and artwork from his students in three Durham prisons. This inspired The Truth About Prison, said by journalist, acclaimed author and former inmate Erwin James to be “Different to any other book on prison. Compelling and quite breath-taking in its scope of insights, giving a voice to the only people that really know” The novel Paedophile Hunters, a 'fictionalised' account of the year he spent with Britain's most notorious paedophile hunting team, came next, termed "gripping, terrifying and true to life." Swallows and Black Streams has also been finished but Richard is leaving that for later and cracking on with the novel he was born to write, direct from his soul and provisionally entitled The Touch of Love ...