I was born and raised in England, where I began to write stories at the age of four. I have never abandoned that hobby.
From an early age, while watching my grandmother’s struggle with bipolar disorder and learning of her eventual death by suicide, I’ve been interested in behavioral health. While at Oxford University, I became co-chair of OXMENT (Oxford University Mental Health Society.) After graduation, I became a research associate in the field of mental illness.
After emigrating to the United States in 1972 to escape blatant gender discrimination, I continued the career that I’d begun in England. Later, after adopting four special-needs children, I gave up my career to work at a job with flexible hours. By the time the kids reached an age when they could be independent, I was so far behind the latest research in my chosen field that I decided to branch out in a new direction and enter law school.
After graduation, I worked as a public defender, representing clients detained to a behavioral health facility under the Involuntary Treatment Act (ITA).
Since retiring in December 2022, I have indulged in my lifelong passion for writing. I’ve now turned my hobby into a business with the goal of publishing my first memoir.
Other than writing, my favorite hobbies include dabbling with crafts, walking through my picturesque neighborhood, and gardening while listening to audiobooks.