I live on a smallholding in County Durham along with my family and animals.

  

They give me lots of ideas for books! We are lucky because lots of wildlife visits our fields. Hedgehogs clatter around the yard, stealing cat food, and foxes rummage in the rubbish. They make horrible shrieking noises in the night and I chase them away from the henhouse (the dogs are too lazy). Bats and swallows flit around the barn, and shy deer visit too. Our ponds attract dragonflies, toads and frogs.

I have had many jobs, and these have given me lots of interesting experiences - and a great chance to watch people without them realising! If you want to be a writer, you need to be very nosey...

I have worked in a bail hostel, as a barmaid, as a teacher, a wildlife warden and a university lecturer. I like writing best though - and that's what I do all day now as well as home educate my youngest daughter.