Born in London, I spent many years writing commercial short fiction for magazines and was widely published in both the UK and internationally. Completing an M.A. in Creative Writing with distinction entirely changed my focus and I started writing longer fiction, completing my first novel in 2017, COUNTING THE WAYS.
My second novel, THE LEGACY OF MR JARVIS was published in 2019 and my third, MILLER STREET SW22 was published in February 2021. My fourth novel, THE ODYSSEY OF LILY PAGE, has just been published - November 28th 2023. All my books are available as both paperbacks and eBooks. I have also published an ebook of light commercial women's fiction stories under the name Polly Dodd, entitled TESTING THE WATERS AND OTHER STORIES.
In addition to writing, I also teach creative writing classes and combine this with working as a tutor of English and Drama. I enjoy talking to clubs, societies and groups about my extensive writing career and about related literary matters. I have lived in Winchester for the past 25 years although London remains the place that has the greatest sense of home to me.
I also spend a great deal of time at a family house in northwest Crete. My genre is: family/relationships/book group fiction/women's fiction/literary/commercial crossover and I particularly enjoy setting my novels in the recent, lived past.
Events for AUTUMN 2023:
September: Talk on my writing career to South Wonston's Wednesday Afternoon Group
October: Guest Speaker at Wildern School (an Arts Academy) at Athena awards for creativity, speaking on Curiosity and Determination and presenting awards
November: Craft fair at Godalming - 4th November
Craft fair at Milton on Sea - 18th November
November issue of THE VOICE - Alton Writing Magazine - INTERVIEW TO MARK PUBLICATION OF MY NEW NOVEL
Friday December 1st. BOOK LAUNCH for The Odyssey of Lily Page - In Winchester - BY INVITATION
Tuesday December 13th. HAMPSHIRE WRITERS' SOCIETY - Christmas Book Fair - selling copies of my novels
Events for 2024:
February 13th. Hampshire Writers' Society - Guest Speaker - talking on PATHWAYS INTO PUBLISHING
April 26th - 28th BOURNEMOUTH WRITING FESTIVAL - event with Troubador
June 11th. FARNHAM FRIENDSHIP CLUB - Guest Speaker- talking on MY WRITING CAREER
July 1st EPSOM UNIVERSITY OF THE 3RD. AGE - Guest Speaker - talk on WRITE ON!
October 16th. ALRESFORD HISTORIC AND LITERARY SOCIETY - speaking on Writing out of the recent past - how, why and when to set a novel with reference to social, political and cultural contexts.