Christopher J. Yates was born in London but brought up mostly in Kent. He studied Law at Wadham College, Oxford and then vacillated between the idea of a career in the law and working in puzzle magazines. After coming down on the side of the latter, he finally realised what he really wanted to do. Write.
He decided he would give himself until his fortieth birthday to attempt to achieve this dream. And then, just one day before turning forty, he found out that he was in fact going to become a published author. In Russia. (But that’s another story—which you can read here.)
‘Black Chalk’ is his first novel (click here to buy), and ‘Grist Mill Road’ his second (click here to buy).
Christopher J. Yates is also the Hudson Valley Dining Critic for the Times Union newspaper. He writes restaurant reviews and features — links to his most recent food stories can be found here.
He also writes about food and fiction on his website Pen & Palate, where you can also find reading guides to his novels.
Christopher J Yates lives 80 miles north of New York City, in the Hudson Valley, with his wife, Margi. And also his furiously hungry dog, Mabel.