Gwendoline Riley (London, 1979) is one of the most important writers of contemporary British literature. She studied English at Manchester Metropolitan University. She gained a loyal readership with her insightful works, and she attracted special attention with her unique characters, impeccable dialogues and black humor. She is the author of several novels, including Cold Water , Sick Notes , Joshua Spassky and First Love . For her works, she received numerous awards and recognitions, such as: Geoffrey Faber Memorial Award, Betty Trask Award and Somerset Maugham Award. In addition, her prose has been shortlisted for a whole range of prestigious awards: the Dylan Thomas Award, the Women's Literary Award, the John Llewellyn Rhys Award, the Goldsmiths Award, the Folio Award and many others. In 2018, the Times Literary Supplement named her one of the twenty best British authors of our time. My Spirits is her latest novel.