What is Alan Garner?
{{Infobox writer <!-- for more information see [[:Template:Infobox writer/doc]] --> |name = Alan Garner |birth_name = |image = Alan Garner.JPG |imagesize = 200px |caption = Garner in 2011 |birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1934|10|17}} |birth_place = [[Congleton]], [[Cheshire]], [[England]] |death_date = |death_place = |spouse = Griselda Garner |occupation = Writer, [[folklore|folklorist]] |nationality = [[English people|English]] |period = 1960–present <!-- Weirdstone publication date --> |genre = [[Children's literature|Children's]] [[fantasy]] |notableworks = {{plainlist| * ''[[The Weirdstone of Brisingamen]]'' * ''[[The Moon of Gomrath]]'' * ''[[Elidor]]'' * ''[[The Owl Service]]'' }} |signature = }} '''Alan Garner''' [[Order of the British Empire|OBE]] (born 17 October 1934) is an [[English people|English]] [[author]] who writes children's fantasy [[Novel|novels]]. == Early life == Garner was born in [[Congleton]] in the front room of his grandfather's house. He grew up in a town called [[Alderley Edge]]. His family told stories about the local area involving kings, knights and wizards. He played with his friends in the cliffs and forests around the town. He later used these experiences to give him ideas for his books. In 1953 he went to [[University of Oxford|Oxford University]] but left after a few years because he wanted to concentrate on writing. == Writing career == Garner worked as a labourer until his first book [[The Weirdstone of Brisingamen]] was published in 1960. It is set in the Alderley Edge mines and the story is about wizards and knights underground, just like in the stories Garner's family would tell. After the book was published, Garner gave up his job and started working as a television [[Journalist|reporter]] instead. He made very little money. At this time, he started to work on a second book called [[The Moon of Gomrath]]. In 1965, [[Elidor]] was published, telling the story of four children who enter a fantasy world.<ref