Writing takes me to a place I call 'my space.' A place where I am always content.

Fans of my books mean everything to me as without them where would any author be?

I am currently working on my second novel in the women's fiction genre.

As an author of children's books as well as women's fiction, I would have to say Roald Dahl and E.B. White are my favourite children's authors. My favourite fiction authors are Jodi Picoult, Cecilia Ahearn and Olivia Goldsmith. However, lately I have been reading a lot of novels from relatively unknown authors in the women's fiction genre and enjoying them immensely.

I would have to say my writing. The first thing I do when I get out of bed each day is switch the kettle on and then my computer. I try to write for at least two hours each morning when my brain is fresh.

I read a lot and enjoy reviewing for other authors.

I belong to many author sites and I see a lot of the work advertised there. I can't resist taking a peek at anything that looks remotely interesting. The next step is to download a free sample and if the book grabs me I will buy it. I usually know in the first couple of pages whether I like the author's style of writing, so the selection process is relatively simple.

The first story I ever wrote was a children's picture book titled Hammie Goes to School. Once I started, I just couldn't stop and ended up writing nine more stories in the series titled The Adventures of Hammie.

I guess I don't really have a process, particularly with my novels. I just punch out chapter ideas at first as they come to me and then I work out how they will fit into the story. Probably an unconventional process, but one that seems to work for me.

I honestly can't remember the first story I ever read, but I would have to say The Wind in the Willows and Charlotte's Web would have to be two of my favourite children's books.

With my picture books, I worked closely with my illustrators until we came up with something we were both happy with. With my fiction novels, I search for pictures on the internet which I think might work as samples of what I have in mind. Then I hand the job over to my designer to create something along those lines.

I like to read women's fiction that is told from the first person perspective as I feel it gives me a better connection with the characters.

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My book marketing techniques leave a lot to be desired, as being a mature age author I am not all that tech savvy and find the whole exercise overwhelming as I really don't know where to start. I find face-to-face selling at book signings and fairs much more rewarding.

I write on my laptop at the dining room table where I can look at the view. I could lock myself away in one of the spare rooms, but I prefer to be part of everything else that is going on around me.

I grew up in the western suburbs of Sydney, Australia, and won a poetry competition at school at the age of eight. I have always been able to rhyme, but as a child, becoming a writer was the furthest thing from my mind.

My writing career began quite by accident in my mid-fifties when I retired.

After writing around twenty rhyming stories for children and self-publishing four, I decided to try my hand at women's fiction. My first adult novel is a roller coaster ride of love, lies, tears and laughter. The two main characters, Eleanor and her daughter, Celeste, spend their lives manipulating other people and competing with each other. Two peas in a pod, these two are the bitches readers love to hate. They will make you laugh and make you cry, and at times you will want to choke them.

I was driven by my passion to write and now I have experienced it, I cannot not write. Self-publishing is simple and I will continue to go this way, as acquiring a publisher is like winning the lottery and I've never been all that lucky.

I am still waiting for that to happen, but I know I have a lot of promotional work to do in that regard before it will.