ERIC WALTERS is an elementary school teacher who began writing as a way to entice his students into being more creative writers. At least once per school year, and often each term, he chooses a subject linked to an area of study and creates a novel to fit the theme. His writing is motivated by “the excitment of writing both with and for my students.”

Eric was born in Toronto in 1957, which makes him “real old.” But, as Eric states, “Just because I have to grow old doesn't mean that I have to grow up!” His writing captures the realistic interaction between young adults and the conflicts, tensions, stresses and interests that both capture and captivate them. He plays and coaches both soccer and basketball and these sports themes often find themselves lodged in his work.

Stand Your Ground (Stoddart, 1994) was nominated for the Blue Heron and Silver Birch awards while Stars (Stoddart, 1996) won each of these, also won The Canadian Children’s Book Centre Choice Award and is now nominated for the Manitoba Young Readers’ Choice Award. Trapped In Ice (Penguin, 1997) was again nominated for numerous awards and is short-listed for the Canadian Library Association Young Adult Award.

This past year, Eric released three more novels: Diamonds in The Rough (Stoddart), StrandedWar of The Eagles (Orca), which have continued to receive critical acclaim and approval from young readers. Eric has six more novels planned for release over the next two years: The Hydrofoil Mystery (Penguin, Spring 1999), Old McCurdy Had A Farm (Beach Holme, Spring 1999), Visions (HarperCollins, Fall 1999), The Magic of Oak Island (HarperCollins, 2000), Three-On-ThreeCaged Eagles (Orca - date to be decided).

Eric is married with three children and lives in Mississauga Ontario. When not spending time with his family, working, writing, playing sports and giving presentations to schools, he spends his spare time making up for lost sleep and eating in first class restaurants which feature drive-through service.