Bill Wall was born in Whitegate, County Cork in 1955. He was educated in UCC, is married with two children and lives in Cork where he teaches in a boys' school. He is fascinated by the sea and seafaring and is a keen sailor.

He has published a volume of poetry, Mathematics and Other Poems (1996). His short stories have been published in anthologies and journals. He has written a historical seafaring trilogy for children, The Powder Monkey (1996), The Slave Coast (1997) and The Cove of Cork (1998).

The Boy Who Met Hitler(1999) was shortlisted for the Bisto Book of the Year Award 1999-2000. As Ellen Regan, Bill Wall is the author of The Mystery of the Lusitania, The Titanic and the Mystery Ship, Spanish John and the Great Armada and The Mystery of the Ghost Ship Mary Celeste. His adult novel was published by London publisher Sceptre in 2000.