Hello. I’m currently a writer, not yet an author.

I escaped my world when I was a very young girl. Fantasy and fairy-tales were the realm I transported myself too. Escapism  you see, was high on my agenda. Extremely so.

Like many children that suffered childhood trauma in one form or another – when you cannot physically remove yourself from pain, you do so mentally. Books for me did that and then some.

Enid Blyton was my very first favourite author. I went from reading Milly-Molly Mandy (outrageous child that she was) to Famous Five (terrific role models for an only child at the time).

What I could never learn from siblings that I didn’t have, I learnt from the Famous Five. Sharing, compassion and companionship all came to me through the loving hand of Enid Blyton. If it were possible, I would thank her.

It was in this way, reading at every opportunity – that I grew up. 

Libraries became a place of worship for me. Here was safety. Here was sanctuary.

In my early forties I was diagnosed with severe depression; I was told that it was probable that I had been depressed since early childhood (keep reading, it gets better, I promise).

Through the hands of a marvellous team of professionals, I was counselled, medicated and saved. Since then I’ve known what it is to finally be ‘normal’ – it’s a ghastly label, yet it’s the only way I can explain it.

If you’ve never known what ‘normal’ is, and then it’s gifted you, I can tell you that it’s similar to going from living a life of cold, darkness, sorrow and fear; knowing occasional glimpses of warmth before having them whipped away, or crushed in front of you; to walking out into the light of a spring day, with the warmth of the sun on your face, and a warm breeze wrapping your soul in peace for the very first time – and that keeps happening. Everyday.

No more darkness.

No more bitterly cold.

Recognising the bad for what it is. Being able to walk around or away from it too, with total freedom.

This, this beauty of a golden day, is everyday and I can finally say, I love my life.