Ann H Barlow writes about strong women facing extraordinary challenges. Across fantasy, contemporary thrillers and young adult fiction, her interests centre on courage, power, responsibility and the choices people make under pressure.
Born in Dumfriesshire, Scotland, Ann grew up in Larkhall before moving with her family to Bradford at fourteen. She left full-time education at fifteen but remained determined to learn, later returning to Bradford College and studying accountancy at night school. Her varied career eventually led her to establish a consultancy helping businesses move from manual bookkeeping to computerised accounting.
Writing had been an ambition since childhood, when she began creating short stories. Work and family commitments kept it on hold for many years, but life abroad brought experiences that would eventually shape her fiction.
Ann and her husband, Guy, spent fifteen years in Dubai. Living among people of different nationalities, traditions and beliefs deepened her interest in culture, faith and human nature—subjects that run through The Guardians Chronicles.
After moving to Varna, Bulgaria, Ann completed A New Dawn. She wrote A World Without Faith while living in Spain, followed by Resurrection and The Sacrifice during her time in Norway.
First published in 2012, A New Dawn won the 2014 Best Indie Book Award in the Science Fiction/Fantasy category. A newly edited edition has been prepared in 2026, with revised editions of the remaining books planned to follow.
Ann and Guy now live in Yorkshire. Between them, they have four children and five grandchildren. Her experiences of life across Europe, the Middle East and Asia continue to inform her stories of resilience, belonging and the complicated business of being human.