BIOGRAPHY

Shaun Dryden was born and still resides in a coastal town at the mouth of the River Tyne. Proud of his working-class Geordie roots, he developed a strong work ethic from an early age, starting an evening paper round at 13, followed by a morning butcher’s round, pedalling his bike making deliveries across town. Though his childhood was happy, school was often a struggle, and he left without notable qualifications. Instead, he learned the value of determination, resilience, and hard graft, earning his education from the "school of hard knocks" and the "university of life."

In his mid-thirties, redundancy provided an unexpected opportunity to change career paths. He returned to education, and at 38, while studying at college, he was diagnosed with a form of dyslexia. The revelation was life-changing, finally explaining the frustrations he had faced. Adapting his learning approach, he embraced the challenge and forged ahead.

Shaun’s career took a significant turn when he landed a sales role at a small London-based start-up company. His natural talent
and tenacity saw him rise quickly through the ranks, eventually becoming a director of what is now a well-known high street brand. After nearly 30 years, most of them spent in leadership, he decided it was time to embark on a new chapter.

Since retiring, Shaun has enjoyed spending time with his wife and family, indulging his passion for ancient history, researching world mysteries, and stargazing, interests that have all influenced his writing. 13 was his debut novel. More recently, daily walks along the North East coast with Bailey, his daughter’s Cockapoo, have inspired his second novel, Jack and an Angel called Trevor.