I have always been drawn to reading and writing. Even at primary school I wanted to buy a typewriter with my Year 6 Scholarship prize money from Harrow Primary School in Victoria, Australia. Growing up in the countryside in Australia I had many activities to do and much to explore, whether riding my push bike, my motorbike or my horse Trigger. When I was in my twenties I went snorkelling on The Great Barrier Reef in Cairns in Queensland, Australia.It was this immersion into the mesmerizing underwater world  that blew me away with all the colorful corals and many diferent sea creatures and colorful fish. This was my inspiration for writing Thelma the tiny sea turtle.  I was a primary teacher in both England and Australia and also worked as a primary teacher-librarian in Adelaide and Murray Bridge in South Australia. My love of literature blossomed in this job. I loved reading books with enormous expression to my classes and seeing the incredible ability of books to inspire and open children's imaginations. I began writing stories in 2010 when I was working as a teaching assistant at Hartfield Primary School, a very pretty picturesque village in East Sussex, and home to Winnie-the-Pooh in the nearby Ashdown Forest. In 2011 I wrote a further 3 books. Then life just got in a way for the next 11 years and I put being an author on the back of the bookshelf. Now retired from my career I return to my hobby of writing to find that Thelma the tiny sea turtle has been sold worldwide for the past 10 years I am writing again and have 2 more books soon to be published soon, and 3 more ready fully illustrated picture books by incredibly talented illustrators waiting to get published. I hope you like my book Thelma the tiny sea turtle. It has a black and white interior with detailed illustrations of the main characters. It is an early reader and is designed as a bridge between picture and chapter books for 5 to 8 year olds. My dream as a writer is that my books will be found in schools, libraries and homes everywehere inspiring, educating and entertaining children of all ages. When I am not writing you might find me singing to Alexa, watching nature documentaries, knitting patchwork blankets and scarves or laughing at my two crazy cats. Or doing papercraft. I made the cover design for Thelma the tiny sea turtle with collage. I hope you like my book :) Karen L May.         .