My journey began in South Wales, UK, and my various travels continue to widen that journey in experience and knowledge. We, as a family, made our home in Liberia, West Africa, for some years, immersing ourselves in its culture. Today, I live in Germany, with my husband and two children. Like most authors, I have always loved writing and reading. I haunted the local Miner's Institute library from the day my mother allowed me to go there alone, and my love of books has accompanied me throughout my life. My English teacher always told me to 'shorten your text,  it's too long', so I think the love of writing has always been part of me! I now read all kinds of books and have numerous favourite authors in various genres ranging from thrillers to social and historical novels. I am not too fond of fantasy or science fiction, but otherwise, I'll read almost anything that looks interesting. I've worked on third-world fishery projects, taught in language schools, and had jobs in various publishing companies. I've written numerous books, had serials published in magazines, worked on the English supplement of a German magazine, published several novellas in German, and assisted with translating at least 15 books for tourist purposes and specialist books about dolls and toys over several years. I also worked with the publisher of the German equivalent of  Who's who in Germany, and the latest addition to my list is an English audio CD  of one of my already published book.     Writing is a solitary and time-consuming endeavor, and I consider myself incredibly fortunate to have a supportive partner. My husband's understanding and encouragement have been invaluable, providing me with the time and space I need to pursue my passion. I belonged to the Romantic Novelists Association, and it is a very supportive and helpful organization for would-be authors and established ones. The New Writers Scheme is an excellent way to discover your writing strengths and weaknesses. It is not free, but if you join the RNA and enter their New Writer Scheme (which you also have to pay for), it is still much cheaper than employing a professional editor to read and summarize your work. I also belong to the ALC.