I was born on the 18th April 1955 into the family of a UK Ambassador. I spent my first few months in Hertfordshire, England,  before my family were required to relocate to a rambling Western-Chinese style residence on the Kowloon Peninsular, for father to take up his diplomatic responsibilities. Although we stayed in the then Crown Colony  for nearly three years before moving on to Rampur, (near Delhi) in India, I  remember very little of  Hong Kong, except for our frequent visits to the bustling masket places where all the ‘strange’ people talked in a language that I didn’t understand.    I do however, remember Rampur fairly well; what

 with the unforgettable aroma of spices from the local traders near to our ‘home’, the gleaming white marble flooring and of course the fine ochre coloured dust that settled on everything.

Cape Town was next, but we were there for barely two years before father decided to return his family to the safety of mainland Britain in the wake of a local uprising. We then stayed in a pretty little rented town house in Westerham Kent, where I was able to complete my primary education.

Becoming the Mistress of a traditional English Country House was something that I’d never considered as an ‘occupation’ until I married and moved to ‘Roselle Park’. In those beautiful ‘dolls house’ surroundings I found the inspiration I needed to complete my works ‘For No Rhyme Nor Reason’ and make a start on ‘The Madernich Contours’.

Photograph by Miss Elizabeth Williams C1987

I currently reside in an unusual chalet styled split-level residence, in the heart of Surrey, England. A big change in lifestyle for me once again, but fortunately I find it easy to adapt. ‘Victorian Pastries Puddings and Treats’ and ‘The Madernich Contours’ were duly completed - both started many years before at ‘Roselle Park’, along with four new works, ‘Heterodox’, ‘Go-Go Boots In Paris’,  ‘The Gatekeeper’ and ‘Jayne’ 

As for my literary future? I am currently working - albeit rather slowly- on three new projects, a) another novel, probably to be called ‘Pirates All’, b) a set of illustrated children’s books (as yet unnamed) and c) a cookery book of ‘Traditional French Pâtisserie’  for the UK market; a subject that seems to be noticeably absent from the UK bookshops I frequent.

As far as ‘work-work’ is concerned, I work as either a part-time photographer for a small photographic studio in Hampshire, a fashion model for both catwalk and several well-known catalogues here in the UK and have also been employed to appear in two UK television commercials.