Angela Howe

I wrote my first book, 'Upstairs and Downstairs', in my sixties, although I did write a 'novel' at age 12 which was confiscated at school - I was frequently accused of daydreaming.

I've always loved writing and have been an avid reader since I cracked the code at age five and a whole new world opened up.

I particularly enjoy the diary genre and loved reading (and re-reading) Adrian Mole's diaries (Sue Townsend), Jilly Cooper's diary, 'The Common Years', 'Angela's Ashes' (Frank McCourt) and Alexandra Fuller's books.

I studied Fine Art and English at University and was a colour consultant and art teacher in Zimbabwe before relocating to South Africa with my late husband and three children. After being widowed for twenty years, I remarried in 2015 and now live happily in retirement in a South African village.

My husband and I travel to England and Zimbabwe to visit family, potter in the garden, go to gym and spend happy times with our collective nine grandchildren. But, 'when once the itch of literature comes over a man, nothing can cure it but the scratching of a pen'. (Samuel Lover).

I have just completed my fourth book, 'Appearances'.