What can I tell you?


 

Here I am aged three with my little brother on my lap. I remember when that photo was taken and I remember that wall paper we had in our living room. My mother made my dress and you can see it has a 'Peter Pan' collar.What is your earliest memory?

Here I am with my family on holiday on Hayling Island. This was the first time we visited the Island and that is our chalet in the background.

The middle photo shows me as a prefect at Tudor Road Junior School in Southall. We had a very strict uniform. Look at that neat tie and blouse!

I played the piano, clarinet and guitar when I was growing up. I think I was going through my Bob Dylan phase in this photo with the guitar.

I've always loved being in the outdoors. I went hiking in the mountains and skiing. I also used to rock climb and ride a small motorbike. I was pretty fearless. Now I do it all from my armchair and let my characters take the risks and spills!

 

 

I was a teacher for 25 years. This was my first class of 10 year olds in a school in Kent. They were very bright and very cheeky!

 

This is my dog Trudy. She is a blue roan cocker spaniel and she appears in my novel, HIDDEN. We always had dogs when I was growing up. My favourite dogs are spaniels.

 

This is Mumbles. He is a golden -haired spaniel. He appears in my book, Peppermint Ward.  I also have a little black spaniel in the second of my Hayling cycle books, ILLEGAL, and he is called Prince William. 

 

This was my first car. It was stolen after three months by joyriders. But it ran out of petrol on the road to Brighton! The police found it and I got it back in one piece. It kept going for another three years and got me to and from work. Much warmer than a motorbike.

I have lived in London all my life but I love to travel and learn new languages. I have been writing since I was a child. I loved reading so much that I wanted to write my own books. I was a teacher for 25 years and I am married with two children. Here I am cooking for them when they were very young. Now they cook for me!

On Hayling beach On Hayling beach

 

I love being down by the sea on Hayling Island where my parents lived for 25 years.I always thought the Island would be a great place to set a novel. My inspiration for HIDDEN came when I was walking on the beach where my Mum used to walk our spaniels.

 

 

 

Once I started to write more ideas flowed and now there are three titles :

HIDDEN : Alix's story, March 2011.

ILLEGAL : Lindy's story, March 2012.

STUFFED : Jess and Ryan's stories, October 2012.

 

The bridge to Hayling The bridge to Hayling

 

 

Hayling Island is connected to the mainland by this bridge. The bridge features in all the books as the characters cross it by car, bus and even motorbike.

 

 

Hayling is famous for its birdlife. These are Brent Geese which arrive every winter from the Arctic Circle to feed and escape the fierce polar conditions.

 

3 things you might like to know about me :-

 

  1. I love writing in coffee bars anywhere in the world.

2.My favourite book is The Secret Garden.

3. I collect oceans - I have four so far.

Comments from young people about HIDDEN.

I really enjoyed your book, it made me think about other people in other countries more. Can't wait to read ILLEGAL.

Holly Parkes.

I very much enjoyed Hidden  and  if I was you I would sign it for every book in every school so they can remember who wrote the book and how amazing that person  is at writing such an amazing book. I found it so interesting.This is a book review for Hidden.
Lucy Crawford. Portsmouth.

With Lucy at Ports Lit Quiz With Lucy at Ports Lit Quiz

I very much enjoyed Hidden and it made me think about asylum seekers and refugees. Alix and Samir inspired me very much!

Miriam Summerfield, 13 yrs.

I liked this book a lot as it has a very original subject which I hardly knew about. I would recommend it to any friend.

Jess Rodnight, 12 yrs.

Amazing book, I would recommend it to everyone. A real page turner. Go and buy it now. 

Jad Faki, 13 yrs

Hidden addresses one of the most current debates in the UK today - immigration and asylum seekers. Miriam addresses this with flare and to top it all its based on our home town - Hayling Island. Miriam Halahmy is truly a magnificent author. She makes you think and think.

Phoebe Ridgway, 14 yrs.

How did you link an Iraqi young man called Mohammed to a relatively unheard of island called Hayling?

Jordan Shortman,

15 yrs.

Interview for the Hayling Islander.

I am not much of a reader but I read pretty much the whole book in a day....The story was really good!

Ellie, 14 years.

Although I am more into dark and mysterious books I thought that this book gave me an insight into a topic I do not know well. I do know Hayling very well and I was wondering whether this was based on a true story?

Jesse, 14 years

No Jesse, this is not a true story, but there are many true bits to it, as told to me by asylum seekers. I am glad you enjoyed the book.

Miriam Halahmy