About Tonyb

Tony Butler was born and raised in Wolverhampton.  He attended the local Grammar School and then embarked on a career in marketing.  His career was cut short following a diving accident that left him partially deaf.  Unable to hear telephones ringing or his customers on the telephone Tony, an accomplished semi-professional magician decided to make his living as an entertainer and thirty-five years later his Clown Zozo, is one of the most popular and sought after children’s’ entertainers in the East Midlands.

Like most writers, Tony has always had a love affair with books and the magic of a good, well-written novel never fails to enthrall him.

Tony had been writing patter and gags for his act for over 30 years, and about ten-years ago he saw a writing competition advertised in a magazine, which to his surprise he won.

Tonyb is the Chairman of Eastwood Writers' Group and also an active member of Nottingham Writers' Club.

In 2002 he won an award, Hero of the Week, from the Times Newspaper’s Educational Supplement for his work with reluctant and slow readers in schools.

In 2003 Tony won Derby County Council's 'Read-on-Write Away, Adult literacy competition with his children's story, 'Abby and the Rainbow Rider.'

Also in 2003 after being short-listed in the BBC’s short story competition, Tony was invited by BBC Radio-Derby, to write and broadcast ten ‘Morning Thoughts.’

It was after this and following the suggestion of established authors that he was finally persuaded to start writing novels.

Merlin’s Granddaughter, his first novel, aimed at children. (Aged 10+), is being published as an ebook by Mystic Moon Press in the USA this month November 2007.