Gender	Female
Industry	Education
Occupation	freelance writer
Location	Uxbridge, Greater London, United Kingdom
Introduction	I write novels, women's magazine fiction (130 stories published to date), feature articles specialising in pre-school issues, and occasional poetry. I have recently given up my 'day job' as a pre-school reading specialist for the under fives in order to concentrate on writing full-time. My twin daughters are now grown-up, my first grandchild Penelope has been born, the mortgage is paid, so it was now or never! I now have two novels (as Vivien Hampshire) available as ebooks on Amazon, and my new novel Lily Alone by Vivien Brown comes out in 2017, as ebook and paperback. I am so excited about this one! My non-fiction book 'How to Crack Cryptic Crosswords' was published in 2013 to coincide with the centenary of the first ever published crossword. I am treasurer of Middlesex group Phrase Writers, and a Council member of the SWWJ - recommended to all women wanting to develop their writing career and make like-minded friends.
Interests	Writing (naturally!), TV, reading, cryptic crosswords and quizzes, cats, chocolate!
Favorite movies	Sense and Sensibility - Emma Thompson did such a good job adapting the Jane Austen novel. An Officer and a Gentleman, and Shall We Dance - both have such weepy romantic endings! Love Actually - because it weaves so many stories together in such a clever way. Notting Hill - just because!
Favorite music	Leonard Cohen. Al Stewart- the early stuff. Boyzone, Westlife, Take That, Barry Manilow, and Ronan Keating.
Favorite books	Children's books - there are so many wonderfully funny and interactive picture books that say it all in so few words. My current favourite is by Sue Grindley and is called Ssshhh!(not sure how to spell that!)about creeping up on a giant and peering through little holes to check he is still asleep. And I love The Tadpole's Promise - the absolutely saddest kids' picture book and love story ever written. Adult stuff - you can't beat Maeve Binchy for a really good story, well told. Clare Mackintosh, brilliant new thriller writer. And Jane Austen, of course!

You've got to make contact with the alien leader. How will you tell when the conversation is finished?

Turn out the lights, put your PJs on and go to bed. Hope he does the same.