Joseph Ridgwell

Joseph Ridgwell was raised in East London and left school with no formal qualifications. Despite this he read his way through every classic book, underground writer, poet or philosopher he could get his hands on.

At nineteen he was stabbed in a bar brawl and decided to leave the UK, travel the world and learn how to write.

Ridgwell has lived in Cuba, Mexico, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand, Belize and finally Thailand where he ran a bar. During his travels he lived in a shack, a boat, a bar, a brothel, bedsits and with strangers from all over the world.

Ridgwell brings back stories from the edge, imbued with humour, sex, philosophy, hope, defiance, brutality and truth.

Ridgwell has published five collections of poetry, two short story collections, and three novellas. A second collection of stories was published by New York’s Bottle of Smoke Press in Summer 2015:

Ridgwell Stories was nominated for a 2016 Pushcart Prize and long-listed for the 2016 Saboteur awards.

In November 2015 - Leamington Books - published his long-awaited debut novel - Burrito Deluxe - On the Road for the Offbeat Generation.

Also published in 2016 were Jamaica & Mexico forming a trilogy with Cuba, which was published in 2014. The trilogy is published by Pig Ear Press.

A 6th collection of poetry - Cosmic Gigantic Flywheel - is due to be published in 2018 by Lenka Editions in Paris.

A 7th Collection of poetry - The Beach Poems - will be published by New York’s Bottle of Smoke Press in the summer of 2018.

An 8th Collection of poetry - Wolf Star - will be published by Poems for All in January 2019

Ridgwell’s London novel - Civil Service - is slated for publication in 2019.

2nd editions of Ridgwell novels - The Cross, Last Days of the Cross, The Buddha Bar, and his debut poetry collection - Where are the Rebels, were published by Ternary Editions an imprint of Bottle of Smoke Press in June 2018

Ridgwell’s work has also appeared in numerous anthologies. Chiron Review, Abridged, Hanzir, Dwang, Tra Ver Sees, Push, The Arsonist etc

For further details of the authors work and current state of mind go to his website:

http://josephridgwelljr.wordpress.com/