I am quite an old lady but I was a teacher of teenagers for 48 years and I feel in tune with them and love reading their a widow I live alone with my little dog and a large collection of Teddy Bears. I found Cirque du Freak very useful for reading with reluctant learners -one of whom kept a pet tarantula-and I get the books on the date of publication just to keep tracks of Arra Sails. My favourite character in all literature is the lady pirate, Joanna da Silva , in Martin Conisby's Vengeance which I read when I was 14. I had to wait another 50 years before I found another character I really loved.

In my time I have been called 'sweet' or 'cute' by my fellow students in college and my pupils, 'eccentric ' by my friends,' a good laugh' by my pupils and 'a very formidable lady' when fighting on behalf of my special needs pupils.

One of my colleagues told me I played the complete idiot to perfection! He guessed correctly but I do try to keep it hidden. I have an MA degree and I'm a member of Mensa so I'm not as thick as I pretend.