Colin Bateman

{{About|the writer|the Watford footballer|Colin Bateman (footballer)}}

{{Infobox writer

| image = File:Colin Bateman.jpg

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| pseudonym = Bateman

| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1962|06|13}}

| birth_place = Newtownards, Northern Ireland

| occupation = Novelist

| language = English

| genre = Crime, Dark comedy, Thriller

| notableworks = Dan Starkey, Murphy's Law & Mystery Man novels

| education = Journalism

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| awards = Betty Trask Award (1994){{cite web |url=http://www.societyofauthors.org/betty-trask-past-winners |title=Betty Trask Past Winners | Society of Authors – Protecting the rights and furthering the interests of authors |publisher=Society of Authors |accessdate=6 January 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722223137/http://www.societyofauthors.org/betty-trask-past-winners |archive-date=22 July 2011 |url-status=dead }}
Crimefest Last Laugh (2009){{cite web|url=http://www.curtisbrown.co.uk/news/colin-bateman-wins-last-laugh-award/ |title=Colin Bateman wins Last Laugh Award |publisher=Curtisbrown.co.uk |date=24 May 2010 |accessdate=6 January 2012}}

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| website = {{url|colinbateman.com}}

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Colin Bateman (known mononymously as Bateman) is a novelist, screenwriter and former journalist from Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland.

Biography

Born on 13 June 1962, Bateman attended Bangor Grammar School leaving at 16 when he was hired by Annie Roycroft to join the County Down Spectator as a "cub" reporter, then columnist and deputy editor.{{cite web | author=Unknown | title='I've high hopes for my Paisley and McGuinness film... some will love it and others will just hate it' | website=BelfastTelegraph.co.uk | date=2016-02-08 | url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/entertainment/film-tv/news/ive-high-hopes-for-my-paisley-and-mcguinness-film-some-will-love-it-and-others-will-just-hate-it-34431443.html | access-date=2019-12-16}} A collection of his columns was published as Bar Stool Boy in 1989.

Bateman has been writing novels since his debut, Divorcing Jack, in 1994. Divorcing Jack won a Betty Trask Award in the same year and was adapted into a 1998 film starring David Thewlis.{{cite web

|url=http://www.societyofauthors.org/prizes_grants_and_awards/prizes-for-fiction-and-non-fiction/the_betty_trask_prize/betty_trask_past_winners.html

|title=Betty Trask Award: Past winners

|publisher=Society of Authors

|accessdate=18 September 2008

|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080520180814/http://www.societyofauthors.org/prizes_grants_and_awards/prizes-for-fiction-and-non-fiction/the_betty_trask_prize/betty_trask_past_winners.html

|archivedate=20 May 2008

|url-status=dead

}}{{cite web

|url=http://www.nerve-centre.net/mo%20website/author.htm

|title=Mohammed Maguire: The author

|publisher=Nerve Centre Productions

|accessdate=18 September 2008

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723220257/http://www.nerve-centre.net/mo%20website/author.htm

|archive-date=23 July 2011

|url-status=dead

}} Several of Bateman's novels featured the semi-autobiographical Belfast journalist, Dan Starkey.

His book Murphy's Law was adapted from the BBC television series Murphy's Law (2001–2007), featuring James Nesbitt. Bateman explains on his website that "Murphy's Law was written specifically for James Nesbitt, a local actor who became a big TV star through Cold Feet. The ninety-minute pilot for Murphy's Law on BBC 1 was seen by more than seven million people, and led to three TV series, on which I was the chief writer."{{cite web

|url = http://www.colinbateman.com/biog.html

|title = Biography

|publisher = Colin Bateman

|work = colinbateman.com

|accessdate = 18 September 2008

|url-status = usurped

|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20080513083343/http://www.colinbateman.com/biog.html

|archivedate = 13 May 2008}}

His 8 part series Scúp was written in English and translated into Irish. It was produced by Sterling Films & BBC Northern Ireland. A second series has since been commissioned.{{cite web

|url = http://filmbase.ie/news/index.php/2012/04/05/audition-notice-scup-written-by-colin-bateman

|title = SCUP

|publisher = Filmbase.ie

|work = filmbase.ie.com

|accessdate = 25 April 2012

|url-status = dead

|archiveurl = https://archive.today/20130217200955/http://filmbase.ie/news/index.php/2012/04/05/audition-notice-scup-written-by-colin-bateman

|archivedate = 17 February 2013}}

His children's book Titanic 2020 was shortlisted for the 2008 Salford Children's Book Award.{{cite web |url=http://www.salford.gov.uk/leisure/libraries/library-sls/childrensbookaward/bookaward2008.htm |title=2008 Book Award – Salford City Council |publisher=Salford.gov.uk |accessdate=6 January 2012 |archive-date=30 May 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090530153602/http://www.salford.gov.uk/leisure/libraries/library-sls/childrensbookaward/bookaward2008.htm |url-status=dead }}{{cite web|author=Colin |url=http://batemansnewblog.blogspot.com/2009/01/in-shadow-of-old-trafford.html |title=All the latest...: In the shadow of Old Trafford |publisher=Batemansnewblog.blogspot.com |date=16 January 2009 |accessdate=6 January 2012}}

Much of his work is produced under the name "Bateman" (rather than his full name); his 2007 novel I Predict a Riot bears (among others) the dedication: "For my Christian name, gone but not forgotten".{{cite web|url=http://colinbatemansblog.blogspot.com/2006/10/last-book.html |title=Colin Bateman: Last Book! |publisher=Colinbatemansblog.blogspot.com |date=10 October 2006 |accessdate=6 January 2012}}

Since 2016 Bateman has moved increasingly into film, writing the screenplays for 'The Journey', starring Timothy Spall and Colm Meaney, and 'Driven' starring Jason Sudeikis and Lee Pace. Both films were premiered at the Venice Film Festival and selected for the Toronto Film Festival.the author) He is currently writing films about Fidel Castro in New York, 'The Hotel Theresa' and the British double agent George Blake.

==Novels==