Welcome to my website

Hello, I'm Artemus Root, an Essex-based author of contemporary comedy novels about ordinary people who stumble into extraordinary trouble. My stories are filled with eccentric characters, unexpected twists, a little mystery, a touch of romance and, hopefully, plenty of laughs along the way.

I was born and raised in Essex, though I like to think I'm slightly less "Essex man" than the stereotype suggests, even if the occasional dropped aitch still slips through.

I've always enjoyed spotting the strange in the everyday. A chance encounter, an overheard conversation or a moment of pure bad luck can often spark an idea. I jot these things down in the notebook I carry almost everywhere, and before long they have a habit of turning into full-blown stories.

So far, I've published three novels: A Nice Rebellion, The Ghost Lovers Dance and Six Numbers. They all take different routes, but they tend to arrive at the same destination: memorable characters getting themselves into situations they never expected.

When I'm not writing novels, I'm usually writing comedy screenplays. One of my comedy scripts, Fame and Phantoms, reached the Top 10 in the Comedy category of the Final Draft Big Break Screenwriting Contest, one of the industry's most respected screenwriting competitions. It was a nice reminder that spending hours staring at a blank screen occasionally pays off. Screenwriting presents a different set of challenges, but it's another way to explore the same humour, characters and everyday absurdities that inspire my novels.

If you've read one of my books, thank you. With so many books competing for your attention, I'm genuinely grateful you've spent some time with mine. And if you enjoyed it, a rating or review on Amazon would mean a great deal. Every review helps other readers discover my work.

Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you enjoy exploring the site.