Chris King was born in Croydon in 1946 and was brought up in Norwood, South London. After a misspent youth, spending too much time playing bar billiards, he managed to qualify as a Chartered Accountant. He number crunched his way through various companies as an accountant before starting an office coffee business. He soon discovered that it was more lucrative to supply businesses with coffee than to do their accounts. He retired in 2000 and now divides his time between The Costa Blanca and Surrey. He is married and spends time with his wife, travelling and mountain walking. He also writes bad poetry.