I’ve always been a hungry reader and I’ve always loved the taste of words. I first felt fired up by poetry at school, seeing the relish with which our English teacher read the word ‘naughty word ’ in a Philip Larkin poem, and falling in love with Edward Thomas.

Reading and writing have been continuous threads throughout my life.  They’ve helped me to become clearer about my own experience, challenged me, and given me comfort.

If you also have an interest in making things from nothing, and would like to live more creatively, whether you're a professional artist or someone who's just started an evening course in making pots, I hope you find something here to encourage you and inspire you to flex your creative muscles.

More than anything writing helps me to pay attention, and I hope it helps my readers to pay attention too.