The thought of finding magic in ordinary places is one that I love; the idea that just stepping off the path could take you somewhere unexpected. It's part of what inspires my writing. When I was a child I did find a strange valley and hear a scream - the incident stayed with me and was the starting point of the Ambeth Chronicles. I've lived around the world, Toronto, Vancouver, Melbourne, Sydney, but started life in Coventry, England. A couple of years ago I moved back to my native England and, once settled, started to write about Ambeth. The name 'Ambeth' comes from the Welsh 'am byth', which means forever, a nod to my Welsh family background and the fact that for me, Wales is my heart home.Ambeth is not the only world I plan to visit in my books, but it's where I am now. When I'm not writing, I like to walk, paint and study karate (when housework and family life permit!) Life has been a journey to get me to this point but I can honestly say I've lived it and am grateful for every day.