Mark Oglesby is the author of 14 novels and short story collections. His work has been shortlisted for the Booker and Whitbread prizes, under various pseudonyms, and he lectures on creative writing at the University of East Anglia. This is the opening line I would have liked to write. When not inventing biographical details, I actually spend my days prostituting what talent I have as a ‘corporate writer’ – a job which sees me writing speeches, magazines, films and assorted twaddle for businesses of all shapes and sizes (mostly blue chip). I began my career in 1985, convincing a PR consultancy that running the university radio station was somehow relevant to advising clients on building their respective reputations. Three years later I went feral. I am 47 years old, married, and have 18 and 15 year old children. I own labradors and cats, sing and play guitar in a rock band (growing up is hard to do), play a mean hand of poker.