An eloquent writer, Matt has channelled his creative genius to author best-selling novels for both children and adults alike. Primarily, Matt focuses on speculative fiction, which he uses to entertain children. His books are dark and quirky, such as Shadow Forest which won the Nestle Children’s Book Prize 2007. Other popular fictional books Matt has written include How To Stop Time, Dead Fathers Club, The Possession of Mr Cave and The Humans.
Recently Matt has become well-known for his ‘self-help’ books that he has authored. Having suffered from major depressive disorder Matt once attempted suicide, fortunately, he survived and now uses this experience to write his books. Reasons to Stay Alive explores the time during which Matt felt hopeless, battling with his mental health for many years. Matt is keen to help others feel as though they are not alone, that they can reach out to those around them for help. Reasons to Stay Alive was recognised as one of Entertainment Weekly’s Must-Read Books of 2016, was a Sunday Times Bestseller and won the 2016 Books Are My Bag Readers’ Awards
Notes on a Nervous Planet is another of Matt’s award-winning books. This book explores a range of topics from sleep to social media addiction, encouraging readers to question the norms of the new digital age, and also gained attention as a Sunday Times Bestseller too.
As a public speaker, Matt is called upon to cover topical issues such as mental health and social media addiction. He is able to provide an authoritative address on mental health, backed by personal experience of his own battle with major depressive disorder. Matt has previously been interviewed by Channel 4 and BBC Newsnight, covering everything from social media addiction to wellbeing. Personable and knowledgeable, Matt is able to provide an exceptional keynote made authentic with the emotion of his own personal struggles. Matt helps people to better understand the challenges of mental health, advocating the need for increased awareness of the subject.
