I grew up hiding in the woods near my Gloucestershire home to read in peace and quiet, and books have been my escape and delight ever since. I studied creative writing in the 1970s/80s and had travel articles published in various county magazines before pressure to get a ‘proper job’ pushed me into a family business, from which I eventually diverted into the NHS. When I hit sixty, I decided it was ‘now or never’ to write my first novel.

In May 2025, I left my NHS PA role and finished my stories – there were now two: one historical fiction set in 19th century Wales, and one contemporary women’s fiction set in my protagonist’s anxious head. Historical fiction is my go-to genre, for both reading and writing, and I am currently working on a sequel to ‘Slate Heart’ as the Priddies have not finished with me yet.