James Beckley is an NHS manager by day—and a self-published writer by night (or sometimes while watching TV or falling asleep). A Carshalton, Surrey native, James didn’t get serious about writing until his forties—even though ideas were always bubbling away in his head. It wasn’t until 2024 that he took the leap and released his debut memoir, The Boy She Left Behind, a heartfelt tribute to his mum, who sadly passed away in May 2022.

With that done, his creative tap was flowing. He followed up with a ghostly short story inspired by real-life encounters Nanny Grace , then Living in a Jukebox (2025)—a music-infused time-travel through memories. Next came his first supernatural rom-com novel, I’m Still Here, set in Carshalton and Sutton, which released in July 2025 to glowing reviews. His debut children’s tale, When Squirrel Met Panda, landed shortly after.

He then went on a writing spree, converting past writing projects into books including his epic sitcom trilogy Bittersweet, his high school based novella based to the soundtrack of early Oasis, and then came the new name in eighties horror(?!) Nanny Stairs, which has caught the eye of our friends in the USA. Finally in 2025 our old friends Squirrel and Panda returned for a Christmas adventure.

With 2026 already planned out, watch this space for more!

James shares his home with his wife, two daughters, two dogs, and a colourful array of tropical fish.

All his books are available on Amazon, and with more than a dozen projects in the pipeline, James is on a mission to expand his readership—and maybe even secure a traditional publishing deal.