Geoff Ryman is a science fiction, fantasy, slipstream and historical fiction author. Much of his work is based on his travels to Cambodia. Currently, he lectures in Creative Writing at the University of Manchester. Ryman's first short story was published in the local paper when he was eight years old, but his first short story sale was "The Diary of the Translator" in 1976, after he had moved to London. His first book, "The Warrior Who Carried Life," was published in 1985.