PLACE AND DATE OF BIRTH:
Birstall, Leicester, 26 May 1938

FAVOURITE BOOK
Tom's Midnight Garden by Philippa Pearce

MOST TREASURED POSSESSION:
A Tom's Midnight Garden wrist watch!

FAVOURITE SONG:
Joshua (my mum used to sing it!)

FAVOURITE FILM:
The Railway Children

FAVOURITE POEM:
The Highwayman by Alfred Noyes

When did you start writing?
When I was seven! I enjoyed reading so much, I wanted to write my own stories and poems - and I haven't stopped since!

Where do you get your ideas?
From my family, friends, children I meet - things they say or do, eg: our grandson, Michael, when he was two, used to tell his grandpa and me to "Behave!" That went into Snap-Happy Annie - when Annie's mother says: "Now just behave - and don't go snip-snapping all over the place. It's not nice."

Can you give your top three tips to becoming a successful author?
1. Daydream - let your mind wander, explore possibilities, make things up as you go along.
2. Write about what interests you. If you are passionate about horses, steam-trains, monsters - write about them!
3. Keep a notebook handy - jot down ideas or things you see; notices like "Awaiting Recovery" or "Not to be Moved". You never know when they'll be useful.

Favourite memory?
Giggling with my mum! Especially on the back row of church when I was young. (We tried not to!)

Favourite place in the world and why?
Here, in our garden, where I can daydream, write or just watch our rabbit, Smudge.

What are your hobbies?
Horse-riding - I'm learning "dressage". So is the horse I ride, Oscar - he's very patient.
Reading - especially in our garden, when I'm not daydreaming, writing, watching Smudge...
Going to the theatre - especially Stratford which is only a hour away.

If you hadn't been a writer, what do you think you would have been?
I'd love to have been a champion show-jumper! Or an expert at dressage! I might have been a researcher. I love delving into History, finding out how people used to live. I almost became a Riding Instructor!