Me, trying to smile for the camera but not liking having my picture taken

 

 

The Most Talked To Cat in London, who has no trouble at all posing for the camera

“You get a little moody sometimes but I think that's because you like to read. People who like to read are always a little ****** up"― Pat Conroy, The Prince of Tides

 

I am one of those rarities, a Londoner born and bred.  And like most true Londoners, I’m not completely English, but three-quarters French with a little bit Dutch thrown in.  I can’t imagine living anywhere else, though I would like a horse, a big old house with a secret passage or two, a fig tree, a walnut tree, lots of dogs and a vista of rolling hills on one side and the sea on the other.  All of which are sadly incompatible with both life in the city and my income.

 

I write partly because in my stories I can live the lives I’m not…

 

I have two teenage daughters, Justine and Lily, who provide endless inspiration for my books.  I am pleased to say inspiration works both ways. One of them has dyed her hair pink, and the other has taken to hanging out on the roof in the middle of the night - just like the girls in AFTER IRIS.

 

The “person” I talk to most is my tortoiseshell cat, Amber.  This is because as a writer you spend a lot of time alone, which makes you go slightly mad.  Amber repays me for my conversation by trashing my house.  

 

I get very grumpy if I don’t have a good book to read, if I’m not writing, if I’m hungry, tired or don’t get enough exercise.  Otherwise I am a generally cheerful person.

 

Click here for answers to Frequently Asked Questions about my life as a writer.