Horror writer JAMES HERBERT was born in London, England. Before becoming a full-time writer, he worked as a singer and an art director for an advertising agency. His novels (including The Rats, The Fog, Others, and Ash) have sold more than forty-two million copies worldwide and have been translated into thirty-three languages, including Russian and Chinese. A handful of James's novels have been the basis for films, such as 1982's Haunted, starring Aiden Quinn and Kate Beckinsale. More recently, The Secret of Crickley Hall was adapted into a 3-part BBC miniseries. In 2010, Herbert was named a Grand Master of Horror by the World Horror Convention and was awarded an OBE.