I never take it for granted that people are going to take an interest in me and what I think. I'm not saying that disingenuously, out of false modesty. Nor do I believe it comes from a lack of self-esteem. I suppose it's more that I know life's short, people have their own lives to lead and there's a limit to the time they have to engage and take on board details about others.
Tanya Ravenswater
So saying, relationships are very important to me. I thrive on good conversation, exchanging ideas, listening and being listened to. I do my best to take people as I find them and not impose negative judgements. I'm less interested in accumulating information, more eager to understand how it is to be in another person's shoes, what really matters to them. Also, I'm quite a private person and respect privacy, the importance of looking after things people tell me.
While I won't pretend I'm not intrigued by the modern cult of celebrity, it's not something I feel pressure to fall in with. Being famous for some means that they've 'arrived', once and for all. They're apparently happy to literally open their doors to public view and bare their souls. Any kind of artist, painter, writer, musician, as they become more well known, equally may be called upon to satisfy public curiosity and answer just about every question asked. It can often be assumed that they're natural performers, publicists, fluent off-the-cuff public speakers. Some are more comfortable with that than others. One of the reasons I've come to be a writer is that expressing my creativity in the form of writing feels most compatible with who I am . I'm the sort of person who likes to have time to reflect. The act of recording helps me get closer to what I really think and want to say. I aim to present a reader with something that I've given consideration and care to. I don't intend wasting their time. So, while I welcome the chance to be able to talk about my writing and am very grateful for supportive discussion and comment, really my fiction and poems are my main offering and contain what I think it's most relevant for my readers to know about me. My work speaks of my persistent interests - people, their differences and how they cope with crises, Nature and how our environment affects us, the importance of love, exploring what truly matters in life.
Finally, for what it's worth, a few things further that I'd like to share. I'm glad about my Northern Irish roots; a sense of belonging and family matter a lot. Having people who accept and love me, quirks and all, gives me confidence to be creative and myself. I'm proud to be a wife and mother.
