When I was young, I wasted a grammar school education and it wasn't until I was twenty-four that I realised if I wanted to make up for lost time I'd have to do it myself. Through evening classes, during the coursee of four years I gained nine 'O' levels and an 'A' level in Sociology.
My late husband and I ran a Guest House in South Wales for several years. We retired to Spain in 1986 and in 1992 bought a second home in the U.S.A. For seven years we divided our time between the two countries before returning to England.

It wasn't until I was forty-nine that I decided to try my hand at writing and so, not having written so much as a short story but with the supreme arrogance of ignorance, embarked on my first novel, A Magpie Mourning. This was in 1995BC ( Before Computer) It was written at least five times, in longhand, sitting under a pine tree in my Spanish garden and cut and paste was literally that. Blind Bargain followed.
Not being in one place, I wrote in Spain, learned all I could about writing in Florida and did my reseach during my stop-offs in England.
It was only when I returned to live permanantly in England that I bought a computer and was able to put them into typescript.

When I first came back to England I was desperate to have some feedback for my writing. I had no idea whether it had any merit or if I was just wasting my time. With this in mind I joined two postal writing folios and appreciated the feedback and encouragement of other writers. I found them invaluable. I had to read the work of others more analytically and it has taught me to step back from my own work and view it from a different perspective.
For several years I ran a class for the University of the Third Age to help people write their personal histories and in 2002 I founded a writers' forum which I still run. We have twelve members and get together once a month.

I am deeply committed to my work and write on a regular daily basis. A second bedroom has been made into a study for me and I write every afternoon.
I edit the previous day's work before going on to the next. I don't set myself a specific number of words or pages to write each day.
I do a lot of planning before I start writing a book; plots, subplots,character biographies, chronology of events and pay attention to the structure of the story.
Because every chapter has been worked out in the beginning it means that I don't have to write the chapters in the order they will eventually appear but can choose to write them as I'm inspired..

The book I am writing now is the second in a planned series of The Coffin Maker's Daughters. This one is about Daisy. It is called Sweet Thunder and is set in Sussex.
The Wakeford farm is bleak, the inhabitants even bleaker. Jonas Wakeford, a religious bigot, has a wife on the brink of insanity and a simpleton for a son. Daisy Spencer's arrival, to take up the position of housemaid, has a devestating effect on all their lives.
Sweet Thunder follows the young girl from here to the warmth and magic of the Victorian Variety Theatre and back again. It is a story of passions, of love and hatred, jealousy and revenge, of courage and the resilience of the human spirit, reinforcing belief in the triumph of good over evil.
I have three chapters to go and hope to publish it on smashwords soon.

I am a fund raiser for the East Sussex Disabled Association. In my spare time I make greetings cards which I sell to aid the cause. I clean the brass at my church and organise the distribution of the Parish magazines. I enjoy cooking, gardening and spending time in my motorhome.

My fans are very important to me. I have built up local interest with printed copies of my books which has been gratifying but what has given me the greatest pleasure is receiving reviews on smashwords. When people I know compliment my work it is lovely but I cannot be one hundred per cent sure that they are not just being kind. With the anonimity of the internet, people are free to say what they like. I stick my head over the parapet and expect to get shot at. So far I have been amazed and thrilled by the lovely comments I have had. Yes, my fans are extremely important to me and I cherish every review..