Jane Wallman-Girdlestone

Like so many writers I began as a child. I have some of the short stories I wrote throughout my school life, but I was more than a once a week English Homework girl, I wrote for pleasure. I wrote a series of really very philosophical poems at eight which my mother proudly presented to my Headteacher for his perusal. Sadly he accused her of coaching me and wondered if I’d copied parts of them from other poems. I don’t think my mum ever quite forgave him!

Whilst many of my friends were out playing I could often be seen writing or drawing. I am sure the fact that I am a Thalidomider had quite a lot to do with this. Partially-sighted and with slightly malformed feet and slightly shortened arms, I found the usual rough and tumble of games difficult to follow and engage in. Reading and then writing became the way that I expressed imaginative play. By the time I was in my teens I had written numerous stories and short plays. This pattern continued through my University years where I contributed materials to reviews and then as an English and Drama teacher devised material for children to perform.

After going to drama school to train as a theatre director, I began to write more seriously creating review material and my first full length play SURFACE TENSION. I went on to have a short story accepted by Radio 4 before gaining a Fellowship to research for a PhD in Theology. For many years my focus was on Theology, particularly Christian Spirituality, Ethics and Practical Theology.

In recent years I have returned in a much more concentrated way to creative writing. I’ve enjoyed having various poetry and novels published. It is an extraordinary privilege to be a story-teller and I see it as telling the stories that describe who we are at this time, in this place. I feel I’m a chronicler.