My father had a bookshop and as a little girl I found magic worlds hidden in the pages of books. Later, I studied science, when even more interesting secrets were revealed.
Then for lots of years as a teacher I enjoyed helping to motivate children and young adults to overcome their own learning obstacles and find their own talents. Much later less exciting stuff followed involving miles of writing with charts and diagrams and no plot at all.
I have had fun helping the smaller people in my family to have adventures finding the hidden worlds behind the secret doors in my garden.
Meanwhile I continue to re-create an imagined corner of my father’s bookshop on my own bookshelves.
I wrote my first book Guardians of the World Gates: The Watcher in Crow Forest for my granddaughter. The book is dedicated to her. I let her read the first four chapters and she was desperate for me to finish it. She said that it is the best book she had ever read! My eldest granddaughter at university studying illustration, designed the brilliant front cover.
When it was published my granddaughter took a copy to show her teacher – he liked it so much, called it ‘very exciting,’ and asked for six copies so he could put it onto the Key Stage 2 group reading list.
There always were the expectations that the Talents of Jay and Jill would be needed again.