Dreda Say Mitchell, who grew up on a housing estate in east London, is an award-winning novelist, broadcaster, journalist and freelance education consultant who describes herself as a 'complete busybody'. Dreda was named one of Britain's 50 Remarkable Women by Lady Geek. She is the author of five novels, with her first book having been awarded The CWA's John Creasey Dagger for best debut crime novel - the first time a Black British writer has received this honour. Dreda has also written short stories for the MWA collection, Vengeance, edited by Lee Child, and the multi-award-winning Books To Die For. She has appeared on Newsnight, Daybreak and Canadian television's Sun New Live. She has presented BBC Radio 4's Open Book, and is a frequent guest on Radio 4's The Review Show, Front Row and Saturday Review. Dreda has written for the Guardian, the Independent and the Observer on issues ranging from race and class to Phil Mitchell's drug addiction in EastEnders. She was the 2011 chair of the Harrogate Theakston Crime Fiction Festival, Europe's biggest crime festival. She is the founder of the creative writing programme 'Write-On', which she has run in both YOIs and prison, and in 2013 one of her students was awarded three Koestler Awards for his poetry. She has worked in education for over twenty years, including positions as a primary school deputy head teacher and local authority consultant. Dreda has an African history degree from SOAS and an MA in Education Studies. She is also a patron of The National Youth Arts Trust. Her commitment to raising the life chances of working-class children in education and her work in prisons and YOIs have been called inspirational and life changing. Website: www.dredasaymitchell.com Twitter: @DredaMitchell

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