Anita's Bio

Born in London, the city's colourful history has always been part of my life. At one time I haunted the National Portrait Gallery, where a painting of James Scott, Duke of Monmouth, caught my attention.

Fascinated by the tragedy of this illegitimate son of Charles II, I chose it as a backdrop to a story about an Exeter girl and her family, caught up in the Rebellion of 1685. The story changed over the years, as did the characters and their location, but essentially, it stayed with me, although I never described the closely typed pages as a manuscript.

When I decided to find out if I could actually write, I met Lisa Yarde online; a lovely, generous lady with an old spirit. Lisa encouraged me to submit my embryo novel to a Historical Fiction Critique Group. The group moderator, Anne Whitfield, a wonderful author herself, told me I had a good story, I simply had to learn how to write it.

The novel went through an evolutionary process and I discovered Anne was right, the original story now benefits from some polish and reads like a proper novel!

Now I can't stop writing.

Lisa has also become a good friend and I'm thrilled to say she is about to be published too. Her Medieval novel, 'Bound By Blood' is due for release soon from Enspiren Press

I have learned so much from members of the Historical Fiction Critique Group, through both giving and receiving critiques. Their stories range from ancient civilisations to Regency England. I'm convinced some of them will be published soon - and I got to read them first!