Diane Pike

Diane Pike grew up in a historic industrial town in the West Midlands. From a young age, she yearned for the tranquillity of the countryside, a longing that influenced her personal journey and creative pursuits.

Writing has always been Diane’s foremost passion. She dedicated over thirty years to teaching, specialising in English, Drama, and Creative Dance. Alongside her teaching career, Diane wrote, directed, and performed plays for both adults and children. She remains a committed member of a Shakespeare society in the West Midlands, reflecting her enduring love of literature and theatre.

Diane’s affection for animals is evident in her life, as her home is always filled with dogs, cats, and chickens. This fondness, particularly for chickens, inspired her to write children’s picture books such as ‘Three Noisy Chickens and the Easter Egg Hunt’ and ‘Three Noisy Chickens to the Rescue’. The series continued to grow with the release of ‘Hilda Runs Away’ in 2023, which has become popular among children aged 4 to 7 years. Her other books include two illustrated poems, 'The Empty House' and 'Gnome Cooking'.

Diane has travelled widely throughout Western and Eastern Europe. A visit to Canada, where she was captivated by its wild, natural beauty, sparked the idea for ‘Bleak Trail’, her first historical adventure novel for middle-grade readers and young adults. In September 2020, ‘Bleak Trail’ was recognised by the Jasper Yellowhead Museum and Archives in Alberta, Canada.

More recently, she has explored the science fiction genre with ‘New Dawn’, her debut young adult novel for ages 11-17.

Her latest title, ‘Jasper, Stop!’ is dedicated to her own little Jack Russell dog, whose funny and mischievous antics inspired her to write this book. Although it is aimed at younger readers, 7 to 11, it will, no doubt, amuse and entertain dog lovers of all ages.

Today, Diane resides in rural Stafford with her husband, Alan, and their dog. Alan has played an essential role in Diane’s literary achievements, creating and producing the illustrations for all her books.