English author Robert E. Swindells is renowned for his children’s and young adult fiction. Swindells was born in 1939 in Bradford, Yorkshire, the same town as Link, the protagonist of Stone Cold.

Swindells is known for his commitment to tackling social issues in his writing. He uses Stone Cold to shed light on the plight of individuals who are unhoused, combining a realistic portrayal of street life with a suspenseful thriller element. The novel follows Link, a young boy who finds himself unhoused in London, and Shelter, a former soldier who harbors a dark obsession with clearing the streets of unhoused individuals. Through this story, Swindells explores the physical and emotional challenges of living unhoused, including cold, hunger, and psychological despair.

Swindells’ writing reflects his deep awareness of social injustices. In an interview with Young Writer magazine, he stated:

I am constantly aware of the presence of injustice in the world, and try to point up various manifestations of injustice, structural violence and so forth which exist in our society, and their effects on victims. Sometimes I suggest possible solutions (“Interview with Robert Swindells.