About

At present, I’m two-thirds of the way through a Creative Writing BA at the Open College of the Arts (the distance learning arm of the University for the Creative Arts). I decided to do this degree for the interest, the challenge and to learn more about the craft of writing and my own abilities. And then there’s the life-long joy of writing!

The modules have been enjoyable and have introduced me to some new areas of writing, such as Screenwriting. They’ve also boosted my confidence to get my writing ‘out of the drawer’ and to send out work. Only a few pieces, so far, to Writing Magazine and Writers’ Forum competitions, but I was shortlisted for all three which is encouraging.

I have successfully completed NaNoWriMo (the challenge to write 50,000 words of a novel during the 30 days of November) seven times, principally to work out the whole story and continuity for my Nineteen series. I’m currently rewriting and editing the first draft of the first book, Nineteen First Missions.

I’m also working on a memoir (working title Mam’s Way Home), set during the time I lived with my mother, as her principal carer, for the last seven weeks of her life, which is my project for the final two modules of the degree course.

Also, I have four other novels, which I intend to write, in outline and notes and numerous short stories, poems and non-fiction pieces at various stages.

A lot has accumulated ‘in the drawer’ over the years!

When not writing, editing, rewriting, etc. I’m walking, gardening, allotmenteering, out and abouting, taking photographs and trying to have a clean and tidy house without much effort.