Peter Ward was born in 1958 and grew up in different places all over the Far East, England and Germany. He has had a peripatetic career: before graduating from Leeds University with a degree in English, he earned his living as a swimming-pool attendant, hod carrier, joiner's mate, canteen assistant on a North Sea oil-rig, plumber's merchant store-picker in the US, van-driver, painter and decorator, antiques dealer and sales room assistant at Sotheby's in Bond Street. After graduating he worked in the media and communications industry and in the property services. He is now self-employed. He lives with his wife, daughter and two sons in Putney, south-west London. Dragon Horse is his first novel.