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I am often asked what made me want to write

novels, and especially why I choose to set them in 17th Century England. I have always wanted to write, starting with stories scribbled in exercise books with a pencil because I wasn't old enough to be trusted with a pen. However I never saw myself as a novelist, that was for much cleverer people than me, and even now I still hope for that mainstream publishing break that will validate me as a writer.

Born in London my first job was a stone's throw from the National Portrait Gallery, where I spent most of my lunch hours. A painting of James Scott, Duke of Monmouth, caught my imagination, set amongst the Van Dykes in the Royal Room, but set slightly apart. Intrigued, I researched the tragic story of this illegitimate son of Charles II, and chose his rebellion as a backdrop to a story about an Exeter girl caught up in Monmouth's attempt to seize the throne in 1685. The story changed over the years, as did the characters, but essentially, it stayed with me, although I never described the closely typed pages as a manuscript.

The next step was to find out if I could actually write. Lisa Yarde; a lovely, generous lady with an old spirit, encouraged me to submit my embryo novel to a Historical Fiction Critique Group. The group moderator, Anne Whitfield, a wonderful author herself, told me I had a good story, I simply had to learn how to write it.

The novel went through an evolutionary process and I discovered Anne was right, the original story now benefits from some extensive polish and reads like a proper novel! I have learned so much from members of the Historical Fiction Critique Group, whose stories range from ancient civilisations to Regency England. I'm convinced some of them will be published soon - and I got to read them first!