About Me
by my editor, Richard
When I first met Mortimer I was at a very low ebb. A neighbour told me there was a mouse in my front room. I said, “So?” The neighbour said “This one’s selling The Big Issue.” It told me that not even a mouse would live in my place unless it were homeless.
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I soon discovered Mortimer’s belief in better things. He started on my flat, turning it from shabby to shoddy to shipshape and the world’s biggest one-rodent centre of motivational maxims. Mortimer was soon supplying upbeat content to greeting cards, calendars and Christmas crackers. I have collected his favourites into one volume, titled “Keep Squeaking Through”, soon to be available through this site as well as the usual outlets.
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Mortimer comes from a distinguished family of literary rodents, including Mousehole Proust, Albert Camouse and the playright Terence Ratagain, who gave him the wonderful Turkestan silk dressing gown in which he composes his work.
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Richard Heller
My Editor
Richard Heller is the author of The Prisoner Of Rubato Towers, published by Xerus Publishing, which tells the story of his dramatic meeting with Mortimer and of their early life together. He has also written two cricket novels A Tale Of Ten Wickets and The Network. With Peter Oborne he wrote White On Green, celebrating the drama of Pakistan cricket, and they present a regular cricket-themed podcast. He was chief of staff to Denis Healey, then Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, and later to Gerald Kaufman, then Shadow Home Secretary. He has also twice been a finalist on BBC Television’s Mastermind.
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Amina Art Ansari
My Illustrator
Amina Art Ansari is a British-Pakistani visual artist born in London. Her rich academic journey includes studies at Central Saint Martins, London College of Printing, and the National College of Arts in Lahore, Pakistan. She has rendered portraits of Quaid-e-Azam Mohd Ali Jinnah for the Pakistan High Commission in London, as well as Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh in Windsor Castle. Amina's artistic influence extends beyond canvas; she has conducted Art Workshops aboard HMS Argyll of the Royal Navy and at Lord’s Cricket Ground, MCC. Her evocative British Army painting earned prominence at the Ministry of Defence's unveiling. She has won numerous awards for art, public speaking and various media have covered her work including the BBC. Moreover, her resilience shines through as she recently underwent cochlear implant surgery. Amina's multifaceted character encompasses a background in Fine Arts, event management, and communication direction and has built a huge network from fashion, media, cultural domains.
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kafka roach
Collaborator
kafkaa roach is a poet and lyricist. He comes from an illustrious family of literary cockroaches. In honour of his cousin and mentor, archy, he writes in lower case letters by headbutting keys.
He is at work on a verse life of me to match his cousin’s epic life of mehitabel the cat. He lives with Richard and me and produces verse for me when my work seems to call for it.
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