Laurence James was a British science fiction writer, especially known for his involvement with the "Deathlands" series. James originally worked in publishing other people's books. In 1972 he embarked on the career of "a full-time freelance author and journalist". For several years thereafter he published short science fiction stories in both Britain and the US. In 1974 he published his first full-length novel, "Earth Lies Sleeping" - the first in a series focused on the exploits of a galactic secret agent named Simon Rack. At the time he was living with his wife and their three children at an east Herefordshire village.