The Authors

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is us trying our best to look author-ish.

Matthew met James when they were allocated lockers together on their first day at a new school. They’ve been friends ever since. Between them, they’ve had more than their fair share of ups and downs, and they’ve turned their experience of life – and of friendship – into work that combines words and pictures to tell a bigger story. With Matthew in Sydney and James in the UK, they work remotely and when they can, face-to-face.  In the Alphabet of the Human Heart they’ve crafted a beautiful and intimate book, visual and verbal, simple yet sophisticated, funny and profound, a book to treasure.

 

Matthew Johnstone:

In 1998 Matthew wrote and illustrated his 1st book What’s the Story? published by Stuart Tabori and Chang, New York with a foreword by Edward De Bono.

In 2005 he wrote and illustrated the best seller I Had a Black Dog, about what it is like to suffer depression and what can be learnt from it. It is now published in over 20 countries. In 2008, the sequel Living With a Black Dog, a guide for carers, became a top 10 UK best seller.

The Alphabet of the Human Heart, co-written with James Kerr, was released in 2010 and became a UK number 1 best seller. In 2011 he wrote and illustrated Quiet the Mind, an illustrated guide on how to meditate, due out in March/April 2012. When Matthew isn’t creating books he is either delivering talks or working as a creative consultant.

See more of his work at matthewjohnstone.com.au

 

James Kerr:

James Kerr’s first book, Twenty Eight Heroes, was an Australian non-fiction bestseller.

His second, The Alphabet of the Human Heart, co-written with Matthew Johnstone, was released in 2010 and became a UK number 1 best seller. His third, Mana, where he went inside the All Blacks rugby team with photographer Nick Danziger, became a New Zealand best seller and a the French edition special featured a forward by Bernard-Henri Lévy.

James is the founder of Chalk Projects, a London-based Creative Consultancy.

His film and journalism has been shown on the BBC, Channel Four and PBS.

See more of his work at chalkprojects.com

 

To contact Matthew Johnstone or James Kerr please email:
alphaheart@me.com