Matthew De Abaitua

Born Matthew Humphreys, changed his name when he was 21 to Matthew De Abaitua at the request of his father. Worked with author Will Self as amanuensis in a remote house in Suffolk, for six months. Went on to become Deputy Editor at influential British alternative culture magazine The Idler. Other contributors include Louis Theroux Adam Buxton Joe Cornish. Short story 'Inbetween' was included in the best-selling anthology of rave fiction, Disco Biscuits, and was made into a short film by Simone Horrocks. His first novel The Red Men (2007) was shortlisted for the Arthur C Clarke Award. He was editor of Film4.com from 2000-2009. His non-fiction book The Art of Camping: The History and Practice of Sleeping Under the Stars is published Summer 2011.