I’ve always been a book worm and I used to sit in the corner of the playground reading when I was six years old. I used to devour books, I would read a whole book in a couple of hours. My mum and dad would send me to bed each night and I’d secretly read, even though there was no light on in my room and I had to rely on the light on the landing. If I heard them walking up the stairs I’d quickly put my book on the floor and pretend to be asleep. Reading in the dark is never a good idea (however good the book is!) and I think I strained my eyes doing it. I ended up needing glasses by the time I was seven.
I used to love going to my local library with my mum and sister. Choosing books at Widnes library was lots of fun and I thought the place was magical. I had no idea that I would end up working in the library when I was nineteen. (When I went to my interview for a library assistant position one of the ladies who interviewed me recognised me because I’d been the library so many times as a child. Wendy would become the best boss I ever had and a good friend.)
I love how books transport you to new places. I’ve always had an active imagination and I think books have played a big part. When I worked at the library one of my main tasks was to put away the books that had been returned. I used to love walking around with a big pile of books and putting them back in the right place. I quickly learnt where books by different authors went, I could have done it blindfold by the time I left to move to Cornwall to do my Masters degree in 2006. I wasn’t the best library assistant in the world, I often found myself reading the blurbs on the back of books and having a sneaky peak at the first few pages!
My own books
I might have written over twenty books now but all of them are special to me in different ways. Nothing beats holding the first copy in my hand and I really love seeing my books in book stores and libraries. I love thinking that people all around the world are reading my books.
To find out more about my books please click here >
Giving author talks in my local library and running writing workshops for the young people in my borough has been one of the highlights of being a published author. I wrote a Twilight inspired script for a special event with a group of teenagers and it was such a good project. I hope to do another project with them again soon.
(I don’t have many photos of me pregnant but here is one at a special One Direction event at Halton Lea library with a cut-out of Harry Styles. Pic credit: Widnes Weekly News)
My favourite books
I’ve loved so many books over the years that it’s hard to choose my favourites but here goes…
In primary school my favourite authors were Enid Blyton and Jacqueline Wilson. I was a huge fan of the Secret Seven series and used to pretend I had my own Secret Seven in my garden. If my friends wanted to go into my playhouse they had to remember the password. My favourite book was I Am David by Anne Holm.
In high school, my favourite books was To Kill A Mocking-bird. Wow, what a book!
At college, I started to like girly books that allowed me to escape from my studies. Melissa Nathan is an author that not many people have heard of but I really enjoyed her books. Sadly she passed away but her books The Nanny and The Waitress are great. I also liked PS I Love You by Cecelia Ahern (before it became a smash hit and the movie with Gerard Butler came out).
I became a Christian when I was eighteen and since then my favourite book has been the Bible. I try and read it every day. It is the best book in the world, without question. I like reading Christian biographies and I really like 90 Minutes in Heaven by Don Piper. It gives me goose pimples.
