About Paul Kelly

Paul grew up in 1970s High Wycombe when sherbet flying saucers cost 2½ p a hundred weight and platform shoes were both cool and great for toe-punting footballs.

He lays no claim to having books published in multiple languages. He’s taught karate in Tibet and Bolivia, half-built swimming pools in Sydney and recently worked as a surveyor in Soho.

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The Man on the Rubber Balloon or Optimism is his first novel. It’s a narco thriller set in South America. He has ‘previous’ with Plata o Plomo - a short story about Pablo Escobar’s last days, trapped in a Medellín bunker. 

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He lives in the Chilterns with his wife and ancient cat.