Living in Dorset for most of my adult life was wonderful, and if I hadn’t met Mr B and fallen in love, I’d still be there today. The stunningly beautiful landscape and ancient places – standing stones, burial mounds and ridgeways – inspired me to write the Stonewylde Series, my first published work.
Before that I was a school teacher, both primary and secondary, which I loved, although teaching is very hard work. I also brought up my children alone, and as anyone who’s done it will know, that too is very hard work.
I’m now a full time writer (far less stressful!) and live on the western edge of Reading, Berkshire. I married Mr B and we’re living happily ever after, with eight adult children between us (none of whom actually reside with us), two beautiful grand-daughters, a large Golden Doodle dog, a small Cockerpoo dog, a Burmese cat and four chickens. We have lots of family gatherings and I seem to spend a great deal of my time cooking feasts and making up beds.
I have a little room of my own for writing, and my desk overlooks the garden which is always alive with birds, squirrels and the chickens pecking away in their pen. When I’m not writing, or out and about doing author visits and talks to schools and adult groups, I read a huge amount – both non-fiction for research and general interest, and good fiction that gives me plenty to aspire to. The number of books I buy is a constant worry to poor Mr B.
I do my best thinking when walking the dogs every morning. We live beside some lovely fields and woods, so I pretend I’m back in my beloved Dorset. I try to persuade myself that the roar of the M4 in the distance is actually the sea pounding the shores near Weymouth; there are even seagulls sometimes!
Please come and visit my author’s website here.