Tony (Anthony Geoffrey) Harmsworth (1948-)

He has spent the last forty years living on the side of Loch Ness. Today he writes science fiction - MINDSLIP, HEAT, THE VISITOR, THE DOOR, MOONSCAPE, MOONSTRUCK, TRAPPIST-1, FEDERATION, FEDERATION & EARTH and HIDDEN FEDERATION. THE SPOLDING CONUNDRUM, CYBERNETIC TYRANT, DEEP SPACE VISITOR, PRISTINE EARTH, SINISTER PLANET, KEPLER is the latest work in progress. He has also written non fiction - LOCH NESS, NESSIE & ME, the definitive Loch Ness book; SCOTLAND'S BLOODY HISTORY, a lighthearted and bloody look at the chronology of Scotland's history; RADUCANU'S FAIRY TALE IN NEW YORK about the British tennis sensation.

Biography: Tony is now retired from his career in tourism, but is still considered to be one of the foremost authorities on the mystery at Loch Ness. He conceived designed, created and co-founded the Official Loch Ness Monster Exhibition Centre; was administrative coordinator of Operation Deepscan during 1986/7; created the Macbeth Experience multi-media exhibition in Perthshire, became Bursar of Fort Augustus Abbey on Loch Ness where he designed and wrote the highly acclaimed Fort Augustus Abbey Heritage Centre and also the Loch Ness Story Diorama; invented the award-winning board game, Nessie Hunt; scripted the Polygram video Loch Ness Monster Story; wrote Mysterious Monsters of Loch Ness, and Loch Ness The Monster, the latter being reprinted on eight occasions. His Loch Ness, Nessie and Me book, containing over 300 pages and more than 200 photographs and illustrations, is considered essential reading for anyone interested in the truth about Loch Ness. It has also been described as the most comprehensive book ever written on the subject.

The last paragraph should give you confidence that Tony can tell a good story!

Although born and brought up in England, he is descended from King Robert the Bruce. His mixed heritage has resulted in him being a rather strange combination of Tottenham Hotspur and Scotland supporter. Neither team seem to ever win anything! Although, perhaps, this year? As this last sentence demonstrates, he is also a great optimist!

Tony has a background in sales and industry holding down management posts with Loyds, Top Rank, Granada, Wella and Lenthéric Morny (BAC). These posts were in Manchester and the south of England. He moved to Drumnadrochit in 1978 to follow up several years' interest in Loch Ness. In 1980 it was his idea to set up the Loch Ness Exhibition and he went on to have a very successful career designing visitor centres, exhibitions and multi-media presentations.

He now writes science fiction full time and if the reviews are to be believed, he is very good at it. His style is similar to that of John Wyndham and Arthur C Clarke, but some reviewers say his work is similar to Asimov, Heinlein and Bradbury too.