ABOUT ME

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Morecambe, Lancashire, United Kingdom
In the mornings I’m a Nursery Cook, the rest of the time a Writer. Been writing for decades: short stories, plays, poems, a sitcom and more recently flash fiction, Creative Writing MA at Lancaster Uni and now several novels. Been placed in competitions (Woman’s Own, Greenacre Writers and flashtagmanchester) and shortlisted in others (Fish, Calderdale, Short Fiction Journal). I won the Calderdale Prize 2011, was runner-up in the Ink Tears Flash Fiction Comp & won the Greenacre Writer Short Story Comp 2013. I have stories in Jawbreakers, Eating My Words, Flash Dogs Anthologies 1-3, 100 RPM and the Stories for Homes anthology. My work’s often described as ‘sweet’ but there’s usually something darker and more sinister beneath the sweetness. I love magical realism and a comedy-tragedy combination. My first novel, Queen of the World, is about a woman who believes she can influence the weather. I’m currently working on a 3rd: Priscilla Parker Reluctant Celebrity Chef. Originally from West Midlands, I love living by the sea in Morecambe, swimming, cycling, theatre, books, food, weather, sitcoms and LBBNML … SQUEEZE!

Monday 30 May 2011

The Bread

My story 'The Bread' won 2nd Prize in Greenacre Writers Short Story Comp this month. You can read it here http://greenacrewriters.blogspot.com/2011/05/second-prize-winner.html
In the months before I left the Midlands and came north to do my MA at Lancaster University, I was at work one day and saw the word 'No' on a naan bread. For a few seconds I thought it was trying to tell me not to go, that it was all a big mistake, but I ignored it and spent the next few minutes scribbling the idea for 'The Bread' on the back of a sugar packet. I often write from a child's point of view, and even more often about food and relationships to food.

This became my ever first submission to a creative writing workshop. After years of thinking there was no way I could go to something like this, or to a writers group, I became someone who loved submitting, reading and discussing my own work and that of the group.

So I'm especially fond of this story and very pleased it is now online, has made me some money and maybe someone will actually read it too.