2018

18th November – Camelot Market in Shaftsbury 10:00 – 16:30

21th November – Tinkerbell’s Market in Stourton

25th November – Littledown Christmas Market

15th-16th December – Camelot Market in Shaftsbury 10:00 – 16:30

2019

7th March – World Book Day, St Josephs, Harrow

20th & 21st April – Shaftesbury Town Hall ( Camelot Market )

6th May – Blandford Georgian Fayre

11th May – Barnes Children’s Literary Festival, London

18th & 19th May – Shaftesbury Town Hall ( Camelot Market )

15th & 16th June – Shaftesbury Town Hall ( Camelot Market )

7th July – Gold Hill Festival ( Shaftesbury Town Hall )

20th & 21st July – Shaftesbury Town Hall ( Camelot Market )

20th to 28th July – Upwey Summer Craft Show

11th August – Breamore House Classic Car Event ( Hampshire )

26th August – Whitchurch, Morcombelake and Ryall Flower and Dog Show 

30th August – Shaftesbury Town Hall ( Camelot Market )

15th, 16th, 17th November – Shaftesbury Town Hall ( Camelot Market )

13th & 15th December – Shaftesbury Town Hall ( Camelot Market )

Born in Poole, I’ve lived in Dorset all my life. As a child I developed a passion for books. I wasn’t an Enid Blyton fan, though Noddy and Big Ears often featured in a bedtime story. My love of horses lured me to novels such as ‘Black Beauty’ by Anna Sewell and Mary O’Hara’s, ‘My Friend Flicka.’ I also enjoyed rhyming poetry, was always trying to write my own, often in a lesson whilst my teacher was busy reading a newspaper! (True!)

I was seven when I learned to ride on a donkey called Jacko and ten when I had Squire, my first pony. It was whilst riding him that I suffered a serious accident. Absent from school for eight months, I had to work hard to catch up. In 1977 my efforts were rewarded: I qualified to study at St Luke’s College in Exeter.

In August 1980, having graduated as a teacher, I got married.  In September I took up a teaching post at a junior school I’d once attended. During a career spanning 22 years, I practised the art of writing and story telling. I wrote tales about Brigadier Baz and Frumpton Farm, a flavour of which has found its way into ‘Major Payne in Happy Bottom.’

In the latter part of my career, I wrote and produced school musicals. I was fortunate to have some help from singer – song writer, Chris de Burgh, who kindly granted the school free use of his songs.

I now live in the heart of the Dorset countryside with Gordon and our three sons. In the garden we have two wood mice living under a step; a pair of little owls who tumbled down the chimney; Shimmy, the peacock who parades on the patio; Ron the Rabbit who raids the radishes; Mr Pompidou, the pheasant who loves peanuts and a murder of crows that wake us at dawn. Sika deer feast on the flowers; moles make a mockery of the lawn and a family of tubby squirrels plunder the bird table.
Hmmn – Must be a story there somewhere…!

P.S

Trying to write a thing or two
that might be of interest to you
has taken me so much more time
than if I’d written it in rhyme!