Murray Fisher was born and raised in Chelmsford and Brentwood before moving to East London.
A year ago, the 51-year-old moved back to Essex and now lives in Finchingfield with his wife, daughter and pet cat.
Mr Fisher has been writing stories for over a decade, including screen plays and illustrations for picture books.
Author – Murray Fisher was born and raised in the county (Image: Murray Fisher) He will release his first published children’s book, Underlings: The Spark Engine in September.
The sci-fi novel, aimed at children aged nine and above, follows 13-year-old protagonist, Evin as she solves mysteries to save the world from a deceptive leader.
Mr Fisher said: “With a strong female protagonist and inspired by real-world locations like the Kelvedon Nuclear Bunker, it’s all about curiosity and invention.”
On September 13, Mr Fisher will host a free launch event at the Museum of Power in Maldon from 10am to 3pm.
He said: “I’m really excited about my launch event at The Museum of Power.
“The manager of the museum, Debbie, has been incredibly accommodating, and the venue matches the machine-powered theme of my book beautifully.
“Moreover, I’m looking forward to engaging with my target audience – not just young readers, but their families too.
“After all, middle grade books aren’t just for children, and lots of parents and grandparents buy books for children.
“Often, book launches take place in bookshops, so it’s also fun to offer a quite different environment for my launch.”
Aimed at families, the event is free to attend and will feature book signings, a themed scavenger hunt for children and questions answered by the author himself.
The event will coincide with the venue’s free heritage day event from 9am.
Speaking about his first official release, Mr Fisher said he’s like to see the novel “reach lots of readers”.
He said: “For the event, I’m hoping to meet families and fire up their interest in storytelling, science, invention, reading or all those things.
“There should be plenty of opportunity for people to have a chat and ask me questions before the formal Q&A on the day, too.
“For the book itself, I’d love to see it reach lots of readers, through bookshops, the school visits I’m undertaking, or through other events.
“I already have several other books in the works, one of which is a follow up to Underlings: The Spark Engine, so hopefully it won’t be too long before more of my work hits the shelves.
“My publisher, Toller Press, has been very supportive, and as a new publisher I’m delighted that they’ve put their faith in this book.
“I’m looking forward to booking more school visits and events, so would love to hear from anyone who’d like to know more.”
Mr Fisher will also attend the Museum’s Steampunk event on September 21.