Charmian, a former shorthand typist, who is a widow with adult children and grandchildren, has lived in Blackpool since 1972. She has been writing for twenty-three years, as well as being the main carer for her late cerebral-palsied son, Neil. He died in 2002, aged thirty-seven.

She has completed several creative writing courses in that time, including in 1992, a creative writing course with Writers’ Bureau, Manchester, and three novel-writing courses with the Writers’ News, tutor, Barbara Carr. She did a B Unit course in creative writing in 1995, at the Open College of North West and was awarded a mark of 66%..

As well as attending a considerable number of local writing courses, she has completed several Distance Learning courses with the Lancaster University and in March 2004, was awarded their Certificate of Creative Writing.

She’s also completed an OCA Advanced Level novel-writing course, tutor, Elizabeth North. Charmian’s work was accessed by the OCA and she was awarded a B grade.

She has written eight adult novels - and is working on her ninth. She has also written several children’s novels - unpublished.

Three of her adult novels were published by a Writers’ Co-operative, Rabbit Books. These are unfortunately out of print, as Rabbit Books is no longer operating.

She has also had four novels, Loves Writes in Many Colours, First Impressions, The Virgin’s Daughter, and The View From Her Window published by Pegasus Elliot Mackenzie Publishers Ltd. A fifth book, containing ‘Flower of India’, previously published by Rabbit Books, and its sequel, Return to India is due to be published later this year.

Apart from this, her other publishing successes have been: a dozen short stories broadcast on local radio. A short story, ‘Fast Lady’, in Scribble magazine. A ‘Commended’, The Loves of Carmen, in the 2002, Eva Wiggins Anthology. A ‘Highly Commended’, The tempting of Dominic, in the 2003, Eva Wiggins Anthology. Also several cups awarded by Lancashire Authors Association, and the winning stories and articles published in their magazine, The Record.

Visit Charmian Coates’ profile on Pegasus Publishers website.