About

I have procrastinated endlessly on how I should write this section. Whether I should do it in first or third person, whether I should outline my life in chronological order, or how much detail I should include. So here goes…

 

I have always had a passion for literature ever since I first read Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet at school. I fell in love with books when I read Harry Potter and the Philosophers (yes philosopher’s) Stone, which then exposed me to the world of book series. Impatiently waiting for the next instalment in the story had me frustrated and hooked in equal measure. I would race to read the book as quickly as possible to avoid spoilers, and to consume the content to find out what happened next. When the movies came out, I was that annoying person that would say, ‘that’s not how it happened in the book’ which drove my friends, and especially my sister nuts.

 

I chose English Literature at a-level and dove in to a world of hard-hitting story lines. Poetry and prose from world war one taught me about writing through experience, and gave me a much better understanding of how great writing can not only convey an emotion, but cause the reader to share in the feeling of the author. Wilfred Owen and William Blake opened my eyes to the power of the written word, and how a few words can hold meaning that I previously thought could only be articulated effectively in essays. At seventeen, reading The Colour Purple was hard hitting. Having lived a relatively sheltered life to this point, I was anguished by the protagonist’s ordeal. The Handmaid’s Tale challenged my perspective on society. During my two years as an a-level student, literature, as well as my amazing tutor, Mr Brown, taught me to look for deeper meaning and not to blindly believe everything I read.

 

Though I thoroughly enjoyed the learnings gained from analysing the hard-hitting prose, post a-level, I felt most relaxed when reading Thrillers and Romance based storylines. As my work in insurance and family life took over my day-to-day, I loved nothing more than getting lost in a good book in my downtime. Whether it was guessing who the killer was, or finding out if love really would conquer all, my mind would conjure entire fictional worlds for me to observe outside of my own reality. My favourite times of the year would be when I went on holiday where I could switch off my work brain, and devour multiple books by the pool, forgetting all about loss ratios and sales figures.

 

Working in insurance, I excelled in my field and maintaining my professional status slowly but surely took up all of my time. I will be forever grateful for the opportunities and experiences I had over these years however, the constant strive to better myself had consequences. My mental health suffered and by the age of 25, I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety. It was my first taste of realising my body had limits and that sheer will power would not always prevail.

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At 28, I married by wonderful husband, and we moved to the quaint town of Battle, East Sussex. I took a step back from the work pressures and life ran smoothly for a while. Taking time out in a less challenging job allowed the hunger to achieve to reignite, and I soon returned to a more stressful role. This turned out to be even harder to manage when my husband was diagnosed with leukaemia at aged 32. Thankfully, through treatment, he has now recovered and is doing great, but this marked the start of a series of life changing events. I won’t go in to detail as I am not sure anyone is still reading at this point, but I think it is important to outline my life prior to becoming an author because it is relevant.

 

In 2022, I became very poorly. I had been advised by the doctors that I was suffering from depression again due to the events that had occurred in a short space of time, but to me it felt different. I wasn’t unhappy as such, I was exhausted, weak and in a lot of pain. Multiple hospital admissions, tests, and time later, I was diagnosed with ME/CFS and my entire world fell apart. Prior to this, I thought I knew what tired was, turns out I had no idea. I went from an independent and successful business woman with an active social life to being bed-bound. I would go weeks without being able to get out of bed. My husband had to make my meals and bring them to be in bed so that I could eat.

 

CFS/ME is a condition that is not understood by the healthcare professionals entirely and as such, we are yet to find a solution to help me recover. 90% of my time, I spend in bed, lying down. I suffer intermittently from brain fog, memory loss, and an inability to concentrate on conversations. I can no longer work and everything I once did became impossible.

 

Over time, I adapted, discovering audio books would allow me to consume content without needing to read, and then I decided to give writing my own book a go. It started with a paragraph written in the notes app on my phone. Once I started writing, I didn’t stop. It felt like the story had written itself. I would write on my phone and then proof-read by using the ‘read aloud’ function. Writing allowed me to use my brain again for the first time in years and, although inconsistent due to my illness, it has given me a purpose.

 

Although unconventional, my method has resulted in three books being self-published with a fourth in the works. My intention is to close off this series at four books and I am already mapping out ideas for something new. I haven’t had any formal training and am very much learning as I go. What started as a release for me has developed in to a passion that I am keen to pursue. So much of my condition has impacted my mental state, and writing has allowed me to get lost in a fictional world once again, with the added benefit of me being able to control the narrative.

 

I have rambled on for long enough now, but I hope that you now have a better insight in to me as a writer, and the factors that drive me. I will post updates on the blog section of my website in regard to my health and new material. Thank you to everyone who has supported me thus far. I am truly grateful to you all!

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Love Lauren xx