I was born in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, north-east England and still have family roots there.
When I first left the north-east it was to teach in secondary schools in Kent and then Essex. For the past 20 years I've lived in the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire where I moved in order to take up a lecturing post in a further education college and then fell in love with the area.
I have taught, assessed, co-ordinated and developed a wide range of short- and long-term educational and creative programmes - in 3 FE colleges, for adult education and for various community and independent organisations.
I have three degrees - B.Ed (Hons) in Business Studies, MA in Education, MA in Creative Writing.
I have written short stories and poetry since childhood. I began to have publishing success - in the small press and writing competitions - in the late 1990s. When I was commissioned to write two full-length plays for a large regional theatre, I decided to go freelance, realising that I wanted a more equal balance between my educational and literary pursuits. I've been independent for several years now.
My performance successes include full-length and short dark comedies, a touring piece and a myriad of sketches.
My publishing successes include short stories in Diva magazine, book reviews for QWF Magazine, 'From Wear To Wye' - an anthology of travel journal tales published in paperback by Douglas Maclean Publishing, 'Hang On A Minute!' which is epublished on Amazon for Kindle, and various educational resources.
I perform my poetry and prose at open mic events, sometimes as the 'Lydbrook Scribe'.
Meandering - that is, getting out and about, seeing new places, meeting new people - has always given me joy. All the more so after the activities and enthusiasms of my genealogist sister inspired my interest in social geography, and after various roles with the Forest of Dean Sculpture Trust whetted my appetite for site-specific responses (the sense of place) in my creative work.
My interests include photography, singing, visual & sculptural art, reading, dancing, gardening (I have an organic veggie garden), social geography and heritage. I am learning to play the digital piano and periodically play around with my Greek bouzouki.
I belong to an online members-only professional writers' group with rigorous submitting and critiquing rules. They raise my game!
I belong to the Writers' Guild of GB, Monarts (Monmouthshire Arts Alliance), gmg (Gloucestershire Media Group) and the Penyard Singers choir.
I hold enhanced CRB and have public liability insurance up to £5,000,000.
I have four grown-up children, two grandbabies and I live with my partner in a cottage in the woods.
