About Lesley

I’ve always loved writing and spent my schooldays sitting by classroom windows staring at the sky and dreaming up stories. As a result I never mastered simultaneous equations or kinetic theory but enough education filtered through to get me to university and blag my way into a series of careers – firstly as a solicitor, then as an event organiser and, in time, as a Marketing and Fundraising Development Manager for a charity.

Writing was an important part of all of those jobs, from explaining complex legal issues in plain language to composing newsletters, adverts and funding applications. However, much as I enjoyed those creative outlets, my favourite kind of writing is fiction. People are endlessly fascinating to me and I just love creating characters then exploring their challenges and triumphs.

I’ve now written five historical romances set in the years from 1910 to WW2. The first two, The Runaway Women in London and The Brighton Guest House Girls, were shortlisted in the UK’s Romantic Novel Awards. All five books feature lively characters and explore friendship, courage, loyalty and love in difficult times.

As well as writing my own stories, I have many years’ experience of mentoring other writers too, so do take a look at my ‘For Writers’ page.

Writing achievements – 90 short story sales to the women’s magazine market, winning the Festival of Romance New Talent Award and the Romantic Novelists’ Association’s Elizabeth Goudge Cup, being shortlisted in the Historical Romance category of the UK Romantic Novel Awards and success in competitions as varied as crime writing to writing for children.

Where I live – Originally Manchester but currently in Hertfordshire.