About Andrea
I'm a historical fiction author inspired by the intertwining histories of art, medicine, and faith. My writing journey began in retirement after an Open University course sparked my love of creative writing. A visit to the medieval village of Warram Percy and the lost Abbey of Meaux brought history vividly to life. I explore how ordinary people once lived through extraordinary times—and how those stories still speak to us today.
When I retired, I took an Open University course on creative writing and was hooked! I joined a local writing group. Wearing my teacher’s hat, I had an idea to write stories as an aid to revision for GCSE students of the history of medicine, but this proved far too didactic and dull – and if I’m honest, a tad pompous. It was then while on holiday in East Yorkshire, my husband and I visited the remains of a medieval village, Warram Percy. There I saw the footings of houses and standing walls of a medieval church. I then learned of the Cistercian Abbey of Meaux just a short car journey away. We went there. There was hardly anything visible – its stones were gone but I felt there was much to learn about the place. In my mind the miles between the village and monastery reduced to a few, bringing them closer together. A family of window makers started to develop in my head and heart – a family who for 200 years, would have close contact with the abbey and its windows –
I was in my 70s when my first book was published by Instant Apostle. It was February 2020. Coming from the east, was Covid. In Man of Glass – I could hardly believe the irony - I had written a novel about my characters awaiting the Bubonic Plague as we were now awaiting Covid!
I’m fascinated by the intertwining histories of art, medicine and faith. In my retirement, my interest grew in how ordinary people once responded to the historic predicaments they found themselves in. I had many factual books at home which I waded through, but oh my goodness, what interesting things can be found on the internet! The annals of Meaux Abbey for instance (pronounced like juice it seems). I fell prey to a lot of time wasting! Yet, it’s as if history gave me the plot and I had to fit the people into it. What an adventure I’ve had!