Jill Hucklesby is a children’s author whose first novel, ‘Deeper Than Blue’, was published by Orchard Books in May 2007. Born in Brighton, where she began writing stories at the age of six, mostly about a worm called Wiggle, she has lived on a windy hill by the sea in East Sussex since 1989 with her family and, more recently, Zack the retriever. Jill has also written for children’s television and for the stage. ‘Deeper Than Blue’ has been shortlisted for the Spellbinding Award 2008, the 1066 Schools’ Book Award 2008, the Bolton Children’s Book Award 2008, and longlisted for this year’s Branford Boase award for a first novel for young people. It will be published in Italy in March by Sperling and Kupfer, titled ‘Piũ Profondo del Blu’. Jill’s next novel, ‘Last Kiss of the Butterfly’, will be published by Orchard Books on August 7.