Anne Ludlow

Anne Ludlow has had a bizarre life. Born to a mother with paranoid schizophrenia, she suffered from rickets as a small child, but went on to gain a ballet scholarship. Under pressure to earn a wage she left school aged 15 without a single qualification. Working as a petrol pump attendant, a bus driver and a cleaner were just some of the occupations she undertook, changing jobs every time boredom took hold.

As a young adult she lived in Dubai; before the skyrocketing towers; before proper sewerage and when the rats were bigger than the cats. But also, when Dubai had character, its heritage intact and Muslims could be seen praying in the streets when the call came from the minaret's. She also spent time in India and Iran, escaping from Tehran upon the return of Ayatollah Khomeini in 1979.

She qualified and worked as a personal fitness trainer and sports therapist, ran a fashion business selling into boutiques the length of the country and ran her own fashion store.

Marriage, children, divorce, single parenthood, happy marriage and now grandchildren.

All of this makes a writer's soul fertile.

Early retirement meant finally having the time to fulfil her lifetime ambition to write novels.

'As soon as I retired, I began to write. Upon writing the first three chapters I read them back. Oh dear, they were awful,' says Anne.

Being an all or nothing person she embarked upon many writing courses, at least ten thousand hours of practice and numerous rejections. She followed every piece of advice and edited, edited, edited. The Gentleness of Steel has had many years honing.

'I am pleased with the outcome. Although, of course, there is always room for improvement. The Gentleness of Steel is my first novel, it will not be my last. My head is bursting with stories to be told. Retiring to the roses will have to wait, because I shall write until my demise.' Anne Ludlow.