Stephen Sparks

Stephen Sparks was born and grew up in the industrial city of Birmingham, U.K. After graduating from university he traveled around the U.S. in the early eighties before settling in Austin, Texas for a couple of years and then on to San Francisco in 1985. He married Patty Liddy (from Detroit, Michigan) in 1987 and a couple of years later they opened 'The Mad Dog in the Fog' English-style pub in the Lower Haight district of the City. In 2002, after thirteen years of running this very successful operation with its 30 staff, he and Patty sold up, left San Francisco, and moved to Anderson Valley in Mendocino County where they had previously bought a ten-acre parcel of land. They planned to stay for six months or so - they are still there.

In 2004, Stephen began to write a column in the local newspaper, The Anderson Valley Advertiser, and then added a weekly biography of various folks living in the Valley and some beyond - including County Sheriff Tom Allman with whom he wrote the book. When not writing, Stephen coaches the high school boys' soccer team, produces and presents a weekly General Knowledge and Trivia Pub Quiz, and is Vice President of the Senior Center Board. He also organizes numerous Valley events for the benefit of various local groups - the veterans, the seniors, the animal rescue organization, and high school sports.

He and Patty have five Border collies, two cats, and thirty-eight sheep.