Owen Oliver was born Joshua Albert Flynn in Sheerness, Kent, on 15th September 1863. He was the eldest son of Albert Spencer Flynn and benefitted from a good education at private schools and then on to graduating at King's College, London. Writing came after he had established himself as a senior civil servant and after he married Ada Parkinson who he had two sons and three daughters with. Flynn served in South Africa as financial adviser to Lord Kitchener, worked for the Admiralty and the War Office from 1885 and was appointed director-general of finance at the Ministry of Pensions in 1916. He excelled professionally and was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath in 1910 and knighted in 1919. Under his pen name, Owen Oliver, he contributed over 250 short stories in different genres that were published in the popular magazines of the day. Science fiction mainly in the Yellow Magazine, romance in the Windsor Magazine and numerous adventure stories in the London Magazine and Cassell’s. In 1918, he published the novel "An Author's Daughter" followed by A Knight at Heart, which delved into themes of chivalry, honour and love, set against the backdrop of historical events. Through his evocative prose and engaging narratives Oliver transported readers to different worlds, inviting them to experience the thrill of adventure and life in possibly a simpler time. He wrote one further novel as well as a non-fiction book on the civil service that included the idea of widening recruitment outside of the elite universities.Joshua Albert Flynn, aka Owen Oliver, died in Streatham, south London on 8th October 1933. He was 70.1 - Owen Oliver - A Short Story Collection - An Introduction2 - The Cloud-Men by Owen Oliver3 - Days of Darkness by Owen Oliver4 - The Awakening by Owen Oliver5 - An Unsolicited Contribution by Owen Oliver6 - The Specification by Owen Oliver
