About me
…Just quickly, and then let’s get back to the fun stuff.
Born and raised in London, somewhere between the affluence of Holland Park and the squatters’ republic of Freestonia. Privileged education, for which I am both grateful and sheepish. Studied History amid dreaming spires.
Thirteen years as a civil servant in Whitehall and four in Brussels, working mostly on budgets (big budgets) and international affairs. Both still regurgitate in my dreams. And in my dinner-party conversation.
Ten years as a writer, seven novels published. Fantasy, historical, science fiction, angels, devils, schoolchildren. Anything but gritty realism, really. Too little of that in my life, thank God.
Another ten years as an accountant in small businesses. Less fun but paid better. Another dinner party piece is how close accounting is to storytelling. A “teller” can mean someone who counts and “account” can mean a story. It’s true.
And I never quite stopped writing those stories.
If your father was someone like Peter Dickinson, writer of over fifty books, winner of Carnegie medals etc., you’ll have grown up breathing stories. I did. He talked to us about plots and devices, and taught us the rhythm of words in our family games.
(Of course I was not planning to be a writer myself. I was going to get out and do something “real”. Hmm…)
Married, two adult children. Practising but sceptical Christian. I sing scratch tenor in the church and village choir. Willing but incompetent at DIY; at housekeeping, dutiful but ditto. I cook for quantity (not so great on the quality.) I bake bread but don’t keep bees.
Now retired and back to writing. Hurrah.
January 2026
