Tell us about how you came to write these stories.
When my two sons started school, my days were more free so I enrolled in a daytime adult learning course called “ Writing for Publication and Profit.” The ability to make money from writing had never occurred to me before. (Naive or what?) Anyway, I found I enjoyed writing. My first published piece was about the facts, fiction, myth and magic about Dandelions. Then, with my husband's photographs, I wrote about our caravan holidays and did quite well financially. But although fact always pays more than fiction, I soon grew bored and wanted to use my imagination. I was a total ingenue and it took a lot of practise and study for my fiction to be published.
Then I had a stroke of luck – or was it finding myself in the right place at the right time or something to do with stars aligning? Who knows but, in a writing magazine, I saw a small advertisement from someone called Jo Good (now, Jo Derrick), the editor of a small press magazine called QWF: Quality Women's Fiction. I liked the look of it. To cut a very long story short, often happy, but more often sad, Jo and I became firm friends. We still are today on social media but have not seen each other face to face for a very long time.
The Story Weaver is such a lovely title.What was the inspiration behind that?
When I sat my A level in Fashion And Fabric I was struck by how many words and expressions for weaving were used metaphorically in everyday life: that old man in the pub spinning his yarns about his life as a plumber; that man with the pop-star looks and winks who wove a tapestry of lies that entertained all the young girls but made the older women laugh. And what about , "What a tangled web we weave when first we practise to deceive."? (Sir Walter Scott).
Tell us something about your writing routine.
Like must of us, I have to fit my writing into my daily life. Usually I begin the day with a cup of black coffee checking overnight emails. Then it's the Guardian daily Sudoku, a quick update on Twitter and Facebook, then breakfast. I download my current writing projects and fit them in to the rest of the day.
Do you have a dedicated writing space?
My desk and PC are in the passage/hall between the kitchen/diner. I have a widow but it it is just above my head. I see the sky and tree trunks across the road and but can only see high vehicles such as tractors, dust carts and lorries.
Do you have anything new in the pipeline?
I am currently nearing the end of what I hope will be the final draft of a medieval novel. I have yet to proofread and find all those pesky typos I missed before. Then I will submit it to the many agents I have earmarked. I am not over optimistic but am determined. If all else fails, I will self-publish with help.
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