One of the first read-alone books I ever had was a Treasury of Fables where I learned about swans and spindles, tiny men and sleeping princesses, golden apples and djinnies, witches and enchanted worlds.  Subsequently I have continued my love of folklore by reading many stories from many different cultures, thus opening a Pandora’s chest of unusual adventures and characters.

Obviously like most writers, there is a long and varied list of classic authors, both adult and childrens’, who inspire me, but I also have great respect and admiration for the late Dorothy Dunnett, the doyen of historical fiction.  The Lymond Chronicles and The Niccolo Series were, for me, the best novels I have ever read!  Inspiration also comes from the history and culture of fourteenth and fifteenth century Europe in which I majored at University and from embroidery which is as valuable to me as the air I breathe.
I’ve often been asked where the real inspiration comes from and I would have to say from inanimate things: a piece of embroidery or cloth, a paperweight, a pocket globe. In the case of my historical fiction, it was a legendary character: Sir Guy of Gisborne from the Robin Hood legend.

One thing that I’ve learned as a writer is that inspiration can strike at any time and from the most obscure thing; it’s a question of being open to it.