She returned to writing to combat the ‘empty nest’ syndrome and is now the author of several novels along with a mixture of novellas and stories. Some are historical fiction, while the rest are fantasy adventures for all ages. Originally born in Edinburgh, she grew up in the North West of England, went to the universities of Manchester and Oxford, specialising in 17th-century Spanish comic drama. Although she started out as a translator, she escaped via a turbulent and circuitous route of journalism and educational publishing to expand her interests over the years to include botanical history, science fiction, local history, architecture, cocktails, wine-making and avoiding DIY. She's also rather addicted to Insular art and other bonkers early Medieval stuff inspired by her daughter Lauren, a History of Art graduate and MA student at Edinburgh.