As a child I enjoyed the TV adaptations of various classic novels, some of which I went on to read, and make up my own stories from them. Noel Streatfield was a favourite, and her book “When the Siren Wailed” sparked an interest in the second world war as did Nina Bawden’s “Carrie’s War” the…

with my writing experience. I am closer to self-publishing my first novel than ever before and as it is a totally new experience, and a steep learning curve from which I hope will benefit future novels. I feel my writing has grown through learning, and I am trying new ideas and new genres like murder-mystery.…

Although I may have been shown something, and was able to do it that moment, I have always found that I need to keep practising in order to feel totally happy about carrying it out alone. This may take months of self-doubt about my ability, or even years. I started a new job nearly four…

The recent series “Believe Me” the harrowing adaptation about the crimes of John Warboys, a perverted black cab driver was gripping the whole way through, but the way victim evidence previously ignored turned on him at the time of his potential parole provided a perfect series finale for me. It was made all the more…

Brief Encounter with its dark, wartime stations. The steam train flying through at speed covering silhouetted buildings with smoke, and the roar of wheels on metal and the way the station shakes as it passes. Then there is the station itself with its quirky personnel, and the tearoom where the “sugar is in the spoon”…

…and that was most things. Whether it was a gang of girls who played by a harbour inspired by the places we visited whilst on a family sailing trip on my dad’s yacht, or a school in my grandmother’s flat, or on holiday at Pontins, I always had to make up a story about it,…

Whilst being curious about what the future may hold, I wouldn’t want to be frozen to wake up and find everything and everyone I hold dear has gone and be forced into a completely new way of life among strangers. The concept is extremely scary. What would you have to support you? Cash and banks…

That’s the one I use the most because it says “I agree” or “I will” in the quickest, clearest manner. I do trawl through others to express my message particularly faces that will best show how I feel, or symbols like railway engines or telephone receivers. There are so many now, and new ones keep…

I have had very little experience with social media so far. However, I intend to use it to promote my debut novel once it has been uploaded to Amazon although I have yet to explore which platforms will be the most effective to reach the most appropriate audience. I also need to learn to use…

Despite being in my mid 70s by then, I still hope to be producing short pieces of fiction and non-fiction, and publishing novels whilst enjoying a lifestyle of new opportunities and learning. I would like to think that I’m only working for myself then, but I enjoy the part time job I have now. I…