About the Author

It was at Woking Grammar School in Surrey, that I first discovered my passion for History and English Literature.  I graduated from Exeter Uni with a degree in Economic History. Apparently, I have literary genes – my dad’s side of the family were Fleet Street editors and Academics. I guess you could say writing was in my blood! But I am not a computer whiz! With Lord George Byron’s ancestral home on my doorstep, I have been a frequent visitor to Newstead Abbey. Perhaps not surprisingly, following a career in market research and with a naturally investigative mind set, I recently sought to discover the truth about the life of the poet – both at home and abroad.  This soon developed into a passionate desire to walk in his footsteps and determine the true facts about his life and legacy – and record my findings in a concise easy-going style of writing. 

Some might call me a ‘Byronista’. I am a follower of Byron, but not in a starry-eyed, sexy way. I am a Chronicler and Iconoclast – interested in the granular details of his life, correspondence, conversations and historical context. I hope to have avoided the myths which surround his lifestyle, but recognise that this is not always easy, or indeed possible! His memoirs were burnt to ashes. However, we still have not only his prolific correspondence, journals, conversations and observations to reflect upon, but also the memoirs and biographies of his contemporaries.