Following the publication of In Search of Urchins, Annie Watson, shares the 10 things that her readers should know about her:
Annie Watson
I live in a small cabin on a holiday park in Suffolk with my husband David and dog, Biggles. We both work on the park, which is miles from anywhere and mostly populated by deer, badgers, pheasants and rabbits. It’s a beautiful place to live and we lead a very simple life here.
I am a word fanatic! I can happily sit and read a dictionary and the advent of e-readers has slowed my reading right down as I am constantly looking up words. I don’t only check unfamiliar words, but feel compelled to make sure I know the exact definition of any less common ones I come across.
I was once escorted to the toilet by Michael Jordan. We were at his bar in Grand Central Station, when he came over and asked us how we liked the place. I said it was great but there was no way of knowing where the conveniences might be, so he offered to show me. I had absolutely no idea who he was – I just thought he was a very tall waiter!
I am mildly obsessed with Vivienne Westwood. It’s an expensive hobby but I have collected many pieces over the years. My watch, handbag, phone case, purse and keyring are all VW, as is my Kindle cover. I even have her logo tattooed on my back.
For years I was on a crusade to convince the world that Shakespeare had three knees! I can’t remember how this started, but I also recruited family members to the cause. Major successes included having this ‘fact’ read out on BBC Radio, and persuading an English teacher to include this fascinating snippet in her teaching.
I have been fortunate enough to be with my daughter throughout the births of each of her children. We are now such an expert birthing team that her third labour lasted only 20 minutes and my grandson was born on our living room floor!
I am a huge Stephen King fan. I have read everything he has ever written and have every one of his books. My prize possession is a signed copy of ‘The Dark Half’.
My husband proposed to me at the top of the Empire State Building. It was the most romantic moment, and our home is now filled with pictures of the building. We even had an ESB wedding cake at our wedding.
I have lived with severe depression on and off throughout my adult life. A large part of ‘Urchins’ was written while I was unable to work because of it. I have been lucky enough to always receive appropriate treatment when I needed it and would urge anyone struggling to seek help. Sometimes, we just need a bit of extra support to get ourselves back on an even keel.
I try to walk 2 miles every day. Our site is 33 acres of glorious wooded parkland with direct access to the beach, so it’s easy to take lots of walks with the dog. She, obviously, loves it. No shortage of things to bark at or chase!
In Search of Urchins is a contemporary fiction novel following the trials and tribulations of Jack and girlfriend, Clare. Copies are available from bookguild.co.uk, Amazon and all good bookshops.