I began to long for something new
As I put down the phone, I must have looked pale – my husband Mickey asked if I was all right.
‘I’m fine,’ I grinned. ‘They’re going to publish my book.’
I was 50 and had landed a deal for my first novel, Life’s A Drag, with Accent Press. Two years on, and with a second novel under my belt, it still feels unbelievable.
While growing up, I’d always had a strong ambition to act. And, after training at the Guildford School Of Acting in my early 20s, I spent the next 25 years on stage, touring and doing TV work.
A new direction
During one of my first performances in 1988 at Sheringham, I met Mickey and we’ve been married for 20 years. I had a great career
– one of my proudest moments was playing the lead in the famous West End production The Mousetrap in the early 90s, after which Mickey and I toured in India and the Middle East with a separate company.
But I longed for something new. In 2009, the recession hit and Mickey and I decided to move to France and run retreats for fellow creatives, from photographers to writers.
Back in 2007, I’d taken a creative writing course with author Anita Burgh, but I’d never had time to put pen to paper. So, as well as throwing ourselves into renovating a property – Chez Castillon – in Dordogne, I started writing.
We used to live in a tiny Suffolk village, which had a quirky annual fete. Alongside the tombola and country dancing, activities included a drag queen competition. It was all a bit of fun, but when I saw the rather ropey contestants I couldn’t help but imagine what professional drag queens in
San Francisco would make of it all! The idea soon developed into my novel!
Amazingly, in 2012, after living in France for just over two years, I met a fellow Brit called David Headley, who was visiting his aunt. Over drinks, we found out he was a literary agent – and the rest is history.
I’m lucky to have had such wonderful life opportunities. I can’t wait to see what’s around the corner.