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Lynne Barrett-Lee

Ms Lynne Barrett-Lee

Creative writing tutor

Overview

I am the author of eight novels, including Barefoot in the Dark, which was shortlisted for the Melissa Nathan Award. I have also written two Quick Reads titles, for emergent readers, and had fiction published under the pseudonym Daisy Jordan.

In 2007, I began ghostwriting and co-wrote the non-fiction memoir, Never Say Die, with Melanie Davies, a Welsh paraplegic. Since then, I have ghosted a further 24 memoirs – some bearing my name, others not – including the global best seller The Girl With No Name and the harrowing account of the murder of Bridgend teenager Rebecca Aylward, Bye Mam, I Love You.

I also write a weekly column for the Western Mail Magazine and I regularly act as a guest broadcaster for BBC Radio Wales.

Biography

I moved from London to Wales in 1994 and initially trained as a primary school teacher, but I also began writing. After several years as a short story writer, my first novel, Julia Get a Life was published in 2000, followed by Virtual Strangers in 2001.

I have now had 18 Sunday Times bestsellers, and my most recent project is Able Seacat Simon, a novel based on the true story of a famous ship's cat, which was published by Simon and Schuster in February 2016.


Getting back to the classroom – albeit to teach more mature students than I originally expected – has long been an ambition. Teaching is an opportunity to get out of the draughty garret for a few hours a week, and to pass on the skills I've learned over twenty years as a published author.

Honours and awards

  • Barefoot in the Dark, shortlisted for the Melissa Nathan Award
  • 18 Sunday Times bestsellers