ABOUT ME

I have been writing stories and poems since the age of about seven, perhaps before. When 13 years old, I was awarded Highly Commended in a nationwide story competition for St. Johns Ambulance Brigade cadets, which was judged by Barbara Cartland and Peter Cheyney. I also had a poem printed in Mickey Mouse comic!

Born in Clapham, London, before the war, my parents, brother and I moved out to a new estate in Queensbury, Middlesex, when I was almost five. We were caught at my grandmother’s in Clapham on the first night of the Blitz, and soon were all evacuated by my father’s employers to Chesham, Buckinghamshire, returning to Queensbury when I was 14 years old. My sister was born during the post-war baby boom.

When 17, I joined a superb church youth club, and wrote eight annual pantomimes for them to perform (usually directing and choreographing as well, as I have been dancing since the age of three), then nine more scripts co-written with a friend for his drama group. Three have been published by Cambridge Publishing Services Ltd. and are performed regularly by amateur companies.*

In the 1950’s, I also wrote the script of a romantic musical set in 1730, which was performed by a church group. Recently, I entered two full-length plays for competitions at our local professional theatre, the Watermill, in Newbury.

Two years (1959-61) were enjoyed as secretary to the Editor of Children’s Books at Macmillan’s publishers in London, where I met author Ray Bethers, and later I line edited for him five of his short children’s books.

In recent years, I wrote and performed, one Sunday morning on Radio Oxford/Berkshire, a dramatic monologue and (with a friend) a two-hander between Barabbas and the mother of the thief on the Cross.

I have written sketches and plays for stage, church and parties. Three of my poems have been published in anthologies.

I was correspondent for three villages for many years for the Newbury Weekly News, our local independent newspaper, and am still an occasional dance and drama critic. In the past, they also printed several of my half-page and full-page articles on various topics.

In my last parish, I was chief editor of the church magazine and of a prestigious village book which we produced for the millennium. Having moved to Hungerford, Berkshire, four years ago, I have now taken on sole editorship of the monthly parish magazine.

I had always wanted to write a novel and reached an age when I decided it was now or never!

I was married to Denis, who for 27 years was self-employed in the construction industry, but was widowed 21 years ago. I am the mother of two daughters and grandmother to three lively grandchildren.

For exercise, I still teach tap dancing to adults.

*Sing a Song of Sixpence, Dick Whittington and Cinderella
Available from Cambridge Publishing Services Ltd., P.O. Box 62, Cambridge CB3 9NA

Iris Lloyd,
13 Bridge Street,
Hungerford, Berks.
RG17 0EH

Tel. 01488 686372
Email: iris.lloyd@virgin.net