Simon Brian Cartlidge

Simon Cartlidge lives in Doncaster. He has degrees in philosophy and psychology and is a qualified English teacher. He studied creative writing for two years under Professor Tony Curtis at Glamorgan University (Wales Poly) and has published poetry in the past for various anthologies. The Young Achilles is his second novel and was commended by the Words for the Wounded literary prize panel. It was also considered for The People’s Book Prize and forwarded by the publisher for the Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction. Simon has a black belt in Korean karate and has competed in two world championships at welterweight. He has also entered bodybuilding and strongman events winning a bronze medal in the 2007 Sci Pro Mentor Classic (horizontal hold). He competed in the NABBA North of England Grandmasters bodybuilding championships in 2025. He has travelled extensively through Europe, the Middle and the Far East. He has lived on a kibbutz in Israel and lived and busked on the streets of Paris. He has acted in numerous Shakespearean productions most recently The Merchant of Venice, Twelfth Night (2020) and Julius Caesar. In 2024 he had the opportunity to play his literary hero Ian Fleming at The Cast Theatre. He enjoys playing guitar and was awarded the Busker of the year award in 2012 playing live to the nation on Radio 4. He loves Newfoundland dogs, WB Yeats, The Crown, Chariots of Fire, Rupert Brooke, Nutella, Some Like it Hot, Bruce Lee, hedgehogs, Midnight in Paris, Baker Street, Shane, pandas, Kate Bush, A Man for All Seasons, Errol Flynn, Singing in the Rain, Shakespeare, The Detectorists, Mervyn Peake, The Beatles, The Guns of Navarone, Mr Benn, Your Song, Gregory’s Girl, Aston Martin cars, Spartacus, Scooby Doo (pre Scrappy Doo), The Persuaders, Jesus Christ Superstar, Mike Oldfield, I’m Not In Love, David Niven, The Doors, The Three Musketeers (Oliver Reed) and the James Bond franchise. Sorry, he hasn’t seen Game of Thrones.