Major influences: all the books on my mother's shelves. Series such as 'Anne of Green Gables', the 'Billabong" books. Families over time. Wide ranging poetry collection imprinting rhythm and rhyme from an erly age. Motivation: The wondrous feeling of sanding behind the eyes of an author and writing in he hope of inspiring similar enjoyment in readers of my work. 

Patrick Wymark reading one of my poems from the stage of the Old Vic; sandwiched between Donne's Ecstasy and Blake's Tyger. In the audience and wondering where does one go from there?
My poetry reading came second to a Russian ribbon dancer in a national television talent show.