Biography

I was born and grew up in London, but have spent the last fifteen years or so in the West Country. I read History of Art at Leicester University, but I really wanted to be an actor so after graduating, I trained at The Drama Studio London. I worked as an actor for three years doing lots of lovely things from rep theatre in Ipswich, Chester, York, Leicester and Coventry, to the West End.

I was lucky enough to play Rodney's girlfriend Vicky (the one before the one he married) in the BBC's Only Fool's and Horses. It was a wonderful experience, but I decided that fifteen minutes of fame was quite enough so I left acting. At first I wrote non-fiction, then about ten years ago I decided to change direction and did the Creative Writing MA at Bath Spa University. While on the course I wrote the first (but not the last) draft of Adultery for Beginners.

I now live in the Georgian city of Bath and spend my time reading, writing or teaching creative writing. I love being a writer. It took some time but I think I've finally found what I want to do when I grow up.

10 facts about me...

1. I have a City and Guilds qualification in Bricklaying.

2. My family emigrated to the USA when I was a baby so I first went to school in California.

3. I once temped for the Lib Dems but couldn't work out how to operate their phone system. I was too frightened to ask so when my boss went into the next room, I escaped out of the window.

4. My cat is called Burnt Toast and Marmalade and weighs over a stone.

5. I've won a Countdown teapot.

6. When I was a teenager I had a crush on Prince Rupert of the Rhine.

7. As a child I ate apples whole because I couldn't bear to leave what I was reading to put the core in the bin, and the habit has stuck.

8. My favourite authors are Anne Tyler and Elizabeth Goudge.

9. I hate red wine, mushrooms and blue cheese.

10. When I last moved house, I needed one removal van for the furniture and another for the books - I've got over 10,000 of them.