Frank Coates was born in Melbourne, left school at an early age, then after years of night school, graduated with an engineering degree and post-graduate business administration qualifications. He worked for many years as a telecommunications engineer in Australia, including a number of short term international projects, and more substantial appointments in Papua New Guinea (1974 - 78) and Malaysia (1980 81).He began his first novel in 2001, and after he presented his finished manuscript to Selwa Anthony he soon had a contract with Harper Collins. When Tears of the Maasai made the best-seller's list in 2004, he retired from the telecommunications industry to write full time. The book is now in its sixteenth edition, including four German editions.
When on safari I like to stay in a tent even if it is 5-star like this one near Masai Mara. The river flowing outside the tent followed a ferocious downpour.
