Dear Readers

2007 was a big year for me. My first non-fiction book, A Grand Passion, came out in April, and my new work, The Swim Club has been on the shelves in April 2008.

Writing non-fiction, in A Grand Passion, especially an auto-biographical work has been quite an eye-opener. To start with I thought it was the easiest book I'd ever written. No plots to dream up. No characters to create. Just put it down as it happened. Like writing a journal.
But as time wore on, the realisation began to sink in that my "journal" was going to be "out there" for public consumption. Decisions had to be made. Just how much of the truth of my life was I willing to expose? How much of the truth of those in the periphery of my life was I willing to expose?

This was supposed to be a book about resurrecting the ruin of a grand old home. But, inevitably, my state of mind at the time of the resurrection crept into the story. It was not only the house that needed help. There were so many parallels between the house and myself, and I wanted to be honest. I knew that examining my experience of entering a second marriage in my mid-forties would be of interest (and hopefully of some help!) to others who have found themselves in a similar place.

A Grand Passion may well be my one and only non-fiction work. If my life tracks along smoothly (I hope!) it probably will be. Already I'm back into writing fiction. In my new book The Swim Club, I've taken a group of women in their late thirties and burdened them with assorted issues. The book explores how the depth of friendship can return the equilibrium to one's life. Its a story that I hope will stir emotions, but raise a laugh as well as a tear.

Best wishes to you all,
Anne