Please could you start by telling us a little bit about the novel and its exploration of music, poetry and Zen philosophy? Those who have read my previous novels, A Man of Understanding and The Infinite Wisdom of Harriet Rose, will know that a theme that runs through my writing is the importance of the… Continue reading
A Man of Understanding is your third novel, what drew you to writing fiction? From a young age, it was clear that I had a talent for writing. I have enjoyed writing fiction since I was a child, when my parents bought me a paperback book as a birthday present in which to write my… Continue reading
You had a particularly varied career as a fashion model, a philosophy postgraduate and a lawyer, what prompted you to make the change to writing? I believe that everyone should pursue their talents and not leave them hidden in the ground in the biblical sense of the parable of the talents. After I left school,… Continue reading
There’s a wealth of philosophical thought and poetry in A Man of Understanding, which books and authors, poets and thinkers have inspired you? Some of my philosophical heroes are Aristotle, Kant and Hume, whose philosophical thoughts appear in A Man of Understanding. Like the heroine in my previous novel The Infinite Wisdom of Harriet Rose,… Continue reading
The novel explores grief, love and familial ties. Is it important to you to contemplate big themes in your writing? My raison d’etre in writing is to encourage readers to reflect on subjects they may not have considered before, or from a different perspective. I’m fascinated by thought-provoking questions and topics, and I want others… Continue reading
Horatio, Blue’s grandfather, is an enigmatic poet and philosopher, is he based on someone in your own life? There are elements of both my own grandfathers in Horatio. My father’s father, like my father, was a clergyman, as Horatio had been before he questioned his faith, but my grandfather sadly died before I was born.… Continue reading
How does your faith shape your writing, and your life? In my daily prayers I ask, inter alia, for guidance as to what is the best way to live, the best way to express my true self, the best way to use my talents for the good, the best way to help others. These aren’t… Continue reading
A Man of Understanding features several poems, have you always written poetry? Is there something in particular that you love about the form? I’ve written poetry since I was a child. My mother loved to read poetry to me, and I loved it when she did – she read poems so well that the words… Continue reading
What have you learned from keeping pet sheep? An unusual muse! We’ve learned that sheep can be caring, altruistic, loving, protective and far more sensitive to mood than some people! They are more intelligent and sentient than many people realise. Although I lived in London for most of my adult life, I grew up in… Continue reading
You write about how an appreciation of food and taste, can be the start of an aesthetic journey of discovery in the arts, and about the ‘aftertaste’ that follows the end of a good book, poem or piece of music etc. Tell us more about taste and the arts. Horatio introduces Blue to experiencing the… Continue reading
A Man of Understanding was the Runner Up in the People’s Book Prize 2023, Fiction Category. Tell us a little about that, what has that meant to you? It was a great achievement. Frederick Forsyth is the Patron Emeritus of the Prize and the the late Dame Beryl Bainbridge was the Founding Patron of the… Continue reading
What’s next for you? I am writing a novel about a musician. As in A Man of Understanding, the Arts and their influence on our thinking as a way of developing the soul and growing as individuals is a big theme in the book. The characters are all strong, interesting individuals. Continue reading
What advice would you give to struggling writers? First of all, contemplate hard on whether writing is the best way for you to use your talents. You have to enjoy writing and know why it is you want to write before you pursue what can be a challenging career. Read a lot of books, but… Continue reading
The Infinite Wisdom of Harriet Rose has been compared to Sophie’s World and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time. What do you see as the similarities? The Infinite Wisdom of Harriet Rose is a philosophical novel, as is Sophie’s World, however I didn’t want it to be a novel which discussed in… Continue reading
What are your interests when you’re not writing? Like my heroine Harriet Rose, I love playing chess. I play tennis most days with my husband (and sometimes in tournaments) even in Winter – if there’s half a court not covered with snow I’ll play on it! I enjoy playing table tennis (winner of numerous tournaments)… Continue reading
The Infinite Wisdom of Harriet Rose is on sale in many countries worldwide and is translated into different languages. What is your favourite country/language? I’ve always lived in England, both in the country and in Central London. The English countryside at its best is magnificent and London as a city is hard to beat. From… Continue reading
Which author do you admire most? My favourite novelist is Charles Dickens. He manages to combine serious moral and social statements with an inspirational sense of humour, a combination which I always aim to achieve. Whilst his books are humorous, he is taken seriously as a writer without being pigeonholed. Continue reading
Harriet Rose, the eponymous heroine of The Infinite Wisdom of Harriet Rose, is fascinated by Philosophy. As a teenager were you interested in Philosophy? Certainly, yes. While I was at school I studied Latin as one of my ‘A’ levels and developed an interest in the philosophy of Cicero and others, which obviously grew during… Continue reading
Although The Infinite Wisdom of Harriet Rose is a philosophical novel, it is humorous too. What was your motivation behind this unusual combination in your novel? A knowledge of philosophy and a sense of humour form two strong aspects of my personality. It seems to me a common misconception that philosophy has to be presented… Continue reading
Is there a phrase you use too often? Isn’t it time for lunch yet? Continue reading
What was the most surprising thing that ever happened to you? Being born. I couldn’t think where I was. I’m still getting over it. Continue reading
When you were a child, what did you want to be? That happy forever. Continue reading
What would be the soundtrack to your life? It ain’t what you do it’s the way that you do it. Continue reading