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.

 

 

 

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.