A natural rebel and avid reader with an extensive collection of books from a home where the world of ideas was valued and treasured, Anna Perera was born in London to an Irish Catholic mother and Sri Lankan Buddhist father. Her wide-ranging spiritual and political upbringing influence her writing at every level.

The romance and excitement of story started at home where Anna devoured anything with words and having a mother who taught at a Secondary School with an extensive library was an incredible gift because she raided it every Friday before catching the bus home and without saying a word tipped the bag of anthologies, fiction, non-fiction, anything that had caught her eye, on the sofa, and four expectant kids dived in and fought tooth and nail over them.

It was often difficult to understand the references, context and vocabulary, but no subject or writer was ever banned, dismissed or objected to. No comic, annual or pamphlet was ever frowned upon and Anna's forever thankful for the incredible curiosity, freedom to explore and indulge the imagination that developed as a result of not being confined to what some would deem, inappropriate.

Age fourteen she clearly remembers sitting in a stark room on a dull, gloomy day with rain tickling the windows and asked herself what she wanted to be when she grew up. The answer was instantaneous; a writer. You want what you love. You follow your passion.

She began work as an English teacher in secondary schools in London and later appointed Teacher-In-Charge of a referral unit for teenage boys in Greenwich.

She gained an MA in Writing for Children at the University of Winchester and published eight books, including the critically acclaimed Guantanamo Boy, published by Penguin and shortlisted for the Costa Children's Book Award, Branford Boase, nominated for the Carnegie Medal and several others. Guantanamo Boy has been translated into a dozen languages and adapted into a sell-out play in London and regional theatres. The horrific injustice, torture and abuse of innocent men and boys, abducted and imprisoned without charge, must never be forgotten. The novel is based on true events.

Also published by Penguin, The Glass Collector was nominated for the Carnegie medal and other awards. As an interesting experiment, she self-published the novel, The Whole Of The Moon, through Amazon about how the billion dollar porn industry targets children. Oxford University Press have three of Anna's books for 8-11yr olds and the lighter, humorous stories are enjoyed by a wide variety of ages.

Having studied screenwriting for many years, and taught the subject in schools, Anna has a cache of scripts and original ideas.

Anna is committed to sharing writing skills and enthusiasm for creativity by giving talks and delivering workshops in schools and colleges throughout the UK and abroad, including Spain, Egypt, Lebanon, Australia and U.S.A. Since 2018, Anna has run a weekly book club for refugees and asylum seekers WestLondonWelcome.com along with the writer and poet, Catherine Temma Davidson.

Member of WGGB.

Anna married David Knopfler in 1984 and divorced in 2010. With numerous things to be grateful for during their long marriage, most of all she is thankful for their wonderful, much loved son.