Having a story published in Stations in 2012 was such a thrill. I had just completed a Masters in Creative writing, ( as a very mature student!). I remember being the only one of the cohort at the graduation ceremony, who had signed a publishing contract! Since then, one of my stories was chosen for the inaugural anthology Words and Women One, and I was delighted to have another story published last by Arachne Press in Shortest day, Longest Night.

Occasionally, I dabble in songwriting, and have written and released a charity Christmas single. In 2012, I also wrote the first draft of a musical, putting an original story to the music of the award-winning retro jazz band Caro Emerald. If I’d thought that getting a story published was difficult – and it is – getting a musical to a West End stage often has a gestation period of a decade! However, persistence has paid off, and with Arts Council support and a few re-writes That Man had its West End debut at The Hippodrome in 2016.

That Man copyright Darren Bell Photography

Since then, I have been in talks with a world-renowned Musical Theatre organisation and am now working with Caro Emerald’s creative team to take the musical onto greater things. 

Come to the PARTY on the 8th September.