Biography

On my first journeys around the Cotswolds in 1989 I felt it was a visual Camelot with its beautiful villages and enchanting countryside.

There are ‘poets of place’ and my place has been the Cotswolds. I have written over fifty booklets on Cotswold villages from Winchcombe to Chipping Norton, Lechlade to Tetbury.

More recently I have written booklets of selected and new poems on Bourton on the Water, Stow on the Wold, Moreton in Marsh and Chipping Campden.

The Cotswold Poetry Series of booklets have been illustrated by Richard O’Connell, my twin brother, a professional artist, with whom I have also worked closely on two books published by Trafford - The Perfect Purr, 102 cat poems’, which arose from a poetry book I wrote entitled, ‘Cotswold Cats’; and ‘The Biggest Bark, 102 dog poems’ (2009).

I also visit local schools to give poetry readings and to encourage poetry writing by children.

I support wildlife and a rescue dog, donkey, horse, Bengal tiger, an African lion and a polar bear and have written poems about animals for specific charities. I also own Fizz, my third rescued long haired cat, who usually approves of my writing activities.