Terry Pratchett published his first story when he was thirteen and had his first commercial sale four years later. His first novel, a humorous fantasy entitled THE CARPET PEOPLE, appeared in 1971 from publishers HarperCollins. Before turning to literary writing full-time, he worked for many years as a journalist and press officer. His first book in the Discworld series, THE COLOR OF MAGIC, appeared in 1983. Since that time he has written an additional twenty-nine Discworld novels. A non-Discworld book, GOOD OMENS, his 1990 collaboration with Neil Gaiman, has been a long-time best-seller as well. He has also written two science fiction novels and seven for younger readers.

Regarded as one of the most significant contemporary English-language satirists, Pratchett received the British Fantasy Award for best novel (PYRAMIDS), in 1989, was named an Officer of the British Empire "for services to literature" in the Queen's Birthday Honours of 1998, and received an honorary Doctor of Letters degree from the University of Warwick in 1999. His acclaimed novels have sold more than 21 million copies worldwide and have been translated into 27 languages. Terry Pratchett lives in England with his family, and spends most days at his computer, writing.