Mark Clapham
Encyclopedia
Mark Clapham is a British
author
, best known for writing fiction
and reference books for television series, in particular Doctor Who
(and spin-offs
) in his book (written with Eddie Robson
and Jim Smith
): Who's Next.
Clapham started out writing Doctor Who fan fiction and, through Seventh Door Fanzines, began to work with Lance Parkin
. Notable fan fiction work included Integration, a novella in Seventh Door's Odyssey series, edited by Parkin.
Having been asked to write a New Adventure
(a Bernice Summerfield
novel for Virgin Publishing) for the November 1998 slot, Parkin found himself too busy with other commitments to write a book on his own and, with editor Rebecca Levene
's blessing, brought in Clapham as a co-author. Between them, the two devised Beige Planet Mars
, a campus mystery novel set at a Mars
University. Clapham was later offered the final Virgin Benny slot and, with a tight deadline, brought in Jon de Burgh Miller
as his co-writer on Twilight of the Gods
.
Clapham went on to co-write The Taking of Planet 5
with Simon Bucher-Jones
in the BBC
's Doctor Who novel line, before eventually writing his first solo novel, Hope
. He wrote a comic in Accent UK's Zombies anthology. He has edited Secret Histories
, a forthcoming Bernice Summerfield anthology.
He has written non-fiction, both reference books for TV (often with Jim Smith
) and magazine work (notably for the official Xena: Warrior Princess
magazine). He is also one of the owners and reviewers on the Shiny Shelf web-magazine.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, best known for writing fiction
Fiction
Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...
and reference books for television series, in particular Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
(and spin-offs
Spin-off (media)
In media, a spin-off is a radio program, television program, video game, or any narrative work, derived from one or more already existing works, that focuses, in particular, in more detail on one aspect of that original work...
) in his book (written with Eddie Robson
Eddie Robson
Eddie Robson is a freelance author best known for his work on a variety of spin-offs from the BBC Television series Doctor Who in his book : Who's Next. He is also co-owner of and a regular reviewer on the Shiny Shelf website, as well as a freelance reviewer for various science fiction magazines...
and Jim Smith
Jim Smith (Writer)
James Edward Smith is a writer and critic best known for writing film and television criticism and directorial critical biographies - including studies of George Lucas, Tim Burton and Quentin Tarantino...
): Who's Next.
Clapham started out writing Doctor Who fan fiction and, through Seventh Door Fanzines, began to work with Lance Parkin
Lance Parkin
Lance Parkin is a British author, best known for writing fiction and reference books for television series, in particular Doctor Who and Emmerdale...
. Notable fan fiction work included Integration, a novella in Seventh Door's Odyssey series, edited by Parkin.
Having been asked to write a New Adventure
Virgin New Adventures
The Virgin New Adventures were a series of novels from Virgin Publishing based on the British science-fiction television series Doctor Who...
(a Bernice Summerfield
Bernice Summerfield
Bernice Surprise Summerfield is a fictional character created by author Paul Cornell as a new companion of the Seventh Doctor in Virgin Publishing's range of original full-length Doctor Who novels, the New Adventures...
novel for Virgin Publishing) for the November 1998 slot, Parkin found himself too busy with other commitments to write a book on his own and, with editor Rebecca Levene
Rebecca Levene
Rebecca Levene is a British author and editor, best known for editing Virgin's New Adventures series of original fiction Doctor Who novels.-Biography:...
's blessing, brought in Clapham as a co-author. Between them, the two devised Beige Planet Mars
Beige Planet Mars
Beige Planet Mars is an original novel by Lance Parkin and Mark Clapham featuring the fictional archaeologist Bernice Summerfield. The New Adventures were a spin-off from the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who....
, a campus mystery novel set at a Mars
Martian
As an adjective, the term martian is used to describe anything pertaining to the planet Mars.However, a Martian is more usually a hypothetical or fictional native inhabitant of the planet Mars. Historically, life on Mars has often been hypothesized, although there is currently no solid evidence of...
University. Clapham was later offered the final Virgin Benny slot and, with a tight deadline, brought in Jon de Burgh Miller
Jon de Burgh Miller
Jon de Burgh Miller is an author most associated with his work on a variety of spin-offs from the BBC Television series Doctor Who. He is also co-owner of and regular reviewer on the Shiny Shelf website.-Work:...
as his co-writer on Twilight of the Gods
Twilight of the Gods (Bernice Summerfield)
Twilight of the Gods is a novel by Mark Clapham and Jon de Burgh Miller from the Virgin New Adventures with the fictional archaeologist Bernice Summerfield as its main character. The New Adventures were based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who...
.
Clapham went on to co-write The Taking of Planet 5
The Taking of Planet 5
The Taking of Planet 5 is a BBC Books original novel written by Simon Bucher-Jones & Mark Clapham and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Eighth Doctor, Fitz and Compassion. It is, in part, a sequel to the television serial Image of the...
with Simon Bucher-Jones
Simon Bucher-Jones
Simon Bucher-Jones in Liverpool; he is a British author, poet, artist, and amateur actor, best known for his Doctor Who novels for Virgin and the BBC and as a contributor to the Faction Paradox spin-off series....
in the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
's Doctor Who novel line, before eventually writing his first solo novel, Hope
Hope (Doctor Who)
Hope is a BBC Books original novel written by Mark Clapham and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Eighth Doctor, Fitz and Anji.-Plot:...
. He wrote a comic in Accent UK's Zombies anthology. He has edited Secret Histories
Secret Histories
Secret Histories is a Big Finish original anthology edited by Mark Clapham, featuring Bernice Summerfield, a character from the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.-Stories:-External links:...
, a forthcoming Bernice Summerfield anthology.
He has written non-fiction, both reference books for TV (often with Jim Smith
Jim Smith (Writer)
James Edward Smith is a writer and critic best known for writing film and television criticism and directorial critical biographies - including studies of George Lucas, Tim Burton and Quentin Tarantino...
) and magazine work (notably for the official Xena: Warrior Princess
Xena: Warrior Princess
Xena: Warrior Princess is an American–New Zealand supernatural fantasy adventure series that aired in syndication from September 4, 1995 until June 18, 2001....
magazine). He is also one of the owners and reviewers on the Shiny Shelf web-magazine.