Colin Bateman is a novelist, screenwriter and former journalist from Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland.

Born in 1962, Bateman attended Bangor Grammar School leaving at 16 to join the County Down Spectator as a "cub" reporter, then columnist and deputy editor. A collection of his columns was published as Bar Stool Boy in 1989.

Bateman has been producing novels since his debut, Divorcing Jack, in 1994.Divorcing Jack won a Betty Trask Award in the same year and was adapted into a 1998 film starring David Thewlis.Several of Bateman's novels featured the semi-autobiographical Belfast journalist, Dan Starkey.

His book Murphy's Law was adapted from the BBC television series Murphy's Law (2001–2007), featuring James Nesbitt. Bateman explains on his website that " `Murphy`s Law` was written specifically for James Nesbitt, a local actor who became a big TV star through `Cold Feet`. The ninety minute pilot for `Murphy`s Law` on BBC 1 was seen by more than seven million people, and led to three TV series, on which I was the chief writer."

His children's book Titanic 2020 has been shortlisted for the 2008 Salford Children's Book Award

Much of his work is produced under the name "Bateman" (rather than his full name); his 2007 novel I Predict a Riot bears (among others) the dedication: "For my Christian name, gone but not forgotten".

Novels

• Divorcing Jack (1994) - A Dan Starkey novel
• Cycle of Violence (1995)
• Of Wee Sweetie Mice and Men (1996) - A Dan Starkey novel
• Empire State (1997)
• Maid of the Mist (1999)
• Turbulent Priests (1999) - A Dan Starkey novel
• Shooting Sean (2001) - A Dan Starkey novel
• Mohammed Maguire (2001)
• Wild About Harry (2001)
• Murphy's Law (2002) - A Martin Murphy novel
• The Horse With My Name (2003) - A Dan Starkey novel
• Chapter And Verse (2003)
• Reservoir Pups (Eddie and the Gang with No Name: Book One) (2003) - For children
• Driving Big Davie (2004) - A Dan Starkey novel
• Bring Me the Head of Oliver Plunkett (Eddie and the Gang with No Name: Book Two) (2004) - For children
• Murphy's Revenge (2005) - A Martin Murphy novel
• Belfast Confidential (2005) - A Dan Starkey novel
• The Seagulls have Landed (Eddie and the Gang with No Name: Book Three) (2005) - For children
• I Predict A Riot (2007)
• Orpheus Rising (2008)
• Titanic 2020 (2007)
• Titanic 2020: Cannibal City (2008) - For children
• Mystery Man (2009)

Films

• Divorcing Jack
• Crossmaheart (1998)
• Wild About Harry

See also

• List of Northern Irish writers

References

1. http://www.salford.gov.uk/leisure/libraries/library-sls/childrensbookaward/bookaward2008.htm
2. http://batemansnewblog.blogspot.com/2009/01/in-shadow-of-old-trafford.html
3. http://colinbatemansblog.blogspot.com/2006/10/last-book.html
4. http://www.colinbateman.com/pups.html
5. http://www.colinbateman.com/plunkett.html
6. http://www.colinbateman.com/seagulls.html
7. http://www.colinbateman.com/T2020.html
8. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mystery-Man-Bateman/dp/0755346734/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1232965419&sr=1-9

External links

• Colin Bateman's official website
• Colin Bateman at the IMDB