John Ruler is a Life Member of the British Guild of Travel Writers. An award-winning travel writer, guidebook author and photographer, he lives in Kent and is a specialist in Nord-Pas-de-Calais, writing about his cross-Channel neighbour for magazines and newspapers. Formerly a chief reporter and feature writer in local newspapers, his 40-plus years of travel writing began when he left the Bromley & Kentish Times to become assistant editor of a travel trade magazine, Ruler also writes extensively about local history, both sides of the Channel. As well as writing Bradt’s guidebook to Cross-Channel France, this expertise has led to him co-authoring all three editions of Bradt’s best-selling guidebook World War I Battlefields. Ruler also specialises in equestrian topics, which has enabled him to ride some 600 horses in 48 countries, and inspired his book Worldwide Riding Vacations. He has also written several books about the Kent town of Bromley.