Ben Publishing

Born in 1964, Ben Aaronovitch is an English writer and screenwriter. He is best known for his popular Rivers of London series of novels, which explore the magical underbelly of London. Before achieving widespread success with his novels, Aaronovitch established himself in the science fiction genre, writing for television and penning spin-off novels for established franchises like Doctor Who and Blake's 7. His early career involved a variety of jobs before he began submitting scripts, leading to his work on Doctor Who and eventually the publication of his first Rivers of London novel. This book became a word-of-mouth sensation, allowing him to focus on writing full-time. Aaronovitch is also a proponent of diversity in literature, founding an award to support underrepresented writers in science fiction and fantasy. His Rivers of London series is currently being adapted for television.

Ben Aaronovitch's writing career began with contributions to the science fiction television landscape. He penned two serials for Doctor Who in the late 1980s, 'Remembrance of the Daleks' and 'Battlefield,' also writing the novelization of the former. His television credits also include an episode of 'Casualty' and a regular writing role on the science fiction series 'Jupiter Moon.' Beyond television, Aaronovitch expanded his reach into the Doctor Who universe through spin-off novels, creating the character Kadiatu Lethbridge-Stewart. He has also written for other Doctor Who spin-off ranges and penned audio dramas and novels featuring the character Bernice Summerfield, originally developed for the Virgin New Adventures series. His early work in these established science fiction universes laid the groundwork for his later success.

Aaronovitch achieved significant recognition with the publication of his first Rivers of London novel in 2011, which quickly gained popularity through word-of-mouth. This series, featuring the magical adventures of Peter Grant, a London police constable who becomes an apprentice wizard, has since spawned numerous sequels, novellas, and short story collections. The success of the series has enabled Aaronovitch to dedicate himself to writing full-time. In addition to his acclaimed novel series, he has also written extensively for the Rivers of London universe in comic book form, with multiple miniseries and graphic novel collections. The series is also slated for a television adaptation. Aaronovitch's commitment to fostering new talent led him to establish the Future Worlds Prize, an award aimed at encouraging diversity within the science fiction and fantasy publishing sectors.