I was born in a small mining village in the parlour of my parent’s home.
They had to plunge me into a cold bath to get me to start breathing.
I’ve always been good at holding my breath underwater! (those two things may be connected!)
I walked half a mile uphill to school every day from the age of 4 until I was 11. It took twenty minutes. I ran home every day in half the time.
I went to London when I was 18 to study medicine.
From the age of 18 until I was 32, I studied and had to take exams almost every year to become a surgeon.
I began writing novels when I knew I had no more exams to take...ever!
The first stories I wrote were for my children. The first one was called Wolf. it has never been published, but there are some battered copies somewhere in the house.
When I was young, in the summer holidays in Wales, I used to meet my friends and wander all over the village, in parks, near the river, and up over the hills without any sense of danger. Those carefree days fuelled my imagination.
My favourite film is Galaxy Quest. I have seen it a dozen times. if I ever had a family crest, the motto would be ‘By Grabthar’s hammer, by the sons of Worvan, you shall be avenged.’ I can hear it now in Alan Rickman’s voice. RIP
BONUS! The Merryweathers Mysteries is all about Cunning Folk– who are as old as the hills.
