Alumnus of the month - February 2009

John McDonald
MSc English and Information Technology, 1993

John studied English and Information Technology in the early nineties at South Bank University. He has since gone on to forge a successful career as a professional writer and credits his time at LSBU to contributing to his career.

John received his first break as a writer when his stage play was performed at the Soho Poly Theatre and was later transferred to Paris. He continued his career teaching creative writing and being the ghost-writer of numerous biographies, fiction and non-fiction for well-known personalities in show-business, politics and business.

In 1999, John’s first novel under his own name was published. Tribe was published in the UK and America and was Publishers Weekly’s ‘Book of the Week’. Its success has not stopped there, as it is currently attracting the attention of the film industry.

His second novel entitled Talking to God was about schizophrenia and this was followed by his third novel Childeyes, a beautifully crafted political parody set in the insider-world of Washington DC. His forth novel Absolution will be published later in 2009 and he is currently working on a fifth novel, Foreverland.

John has had his screenplay shortlisted for Indie Producer contest in Hollywood.

John McDonald is married, with two sons and lives in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire.

“McDonald’s prose is rich and thick and magically poetic.” – The Sunday Independent.
“McDonald is an explorer of courage and a writer of immense talent” – The Irish Times