Elizabeth is a published author. Passionate about what she does, her stories will transport you to another time and place.

Background

I was born in the diamond city of Kimberley in the Northern Cape, South Africa. I was educated and graduated from high school with a matriculation certificate and an exemption pass. I began a career in general nursing at the local hospital and graduated with honours after 4 years with a nursing and midwifery diploma. I travelled to England in 1977 and began my post graduate courses in Intensive care, Ear nose and throat nursing. Gastrointestinal and endoscopy, colorectal research. First time drug testing in humans. I was one of the first research nurses in gastroenterology nursing. I lectured to clinical scientists at Warwick university during my stay at the Royal London hospital. I was head hunted and offered the post of  honorary research fellow at the Whitechapel society in the field of research into Irritable bowel disease for a period of 3 years. The neurosurgeons then offered me a post as research nurse for HEMS, helicopter emergency services at the Royal London for a period of 5 years. Thereafter I worked at various fertility, colorectal clinics in Harley street and The London Clinic for 3 years. I embarked on a career in community nursing at the Crowndale centre in Camden and have been doing this work up to the present time.

Inspiration for the novel

After the death of my spouse, my sister-in law plotted to have me murdered by paying 2 Nigerian hitmen to shoot me. Fortunately for me the Nigerians were afraid to do the deed. They approached a drug dealer to commit the murder but unbeknown to them the dealer was an informer for the police. He immediately informed the police of the Nigerian plot. The police advised him to accept their offer of £2000 to do the Hit. They attached wires to him and advised him to attend the meeting they arranged to give him the money and the gun. They met at a pub and were arrested. This happened while I was in South Africa winding up my spouses’ estate. The police put a guard at the house where I was staying and provided protection until I returned to the Uk. My sister-in law bribed the judge and the police and was never prosecuted. I was bereft with grief at the time and I also crossed swords with my sister-in-law over the 12 year relationship with her sister. She was fiercely homophobic and put us through hell plotting and scheming against us. So the murder plot just pushed me over the edge. I began planning to have her murdered. During my spouses’ illness from cancer, I gave my life to God. Thankfully I redirected my anger towards the characters in my book.

Interests

I embarked on a complementary a number of complementary medicine courses part time from 1991 to 2003, attaining diplomas in Chinese traditional medicine, diagnostic and therapeutic and sports massage, shiatsu, hot and cold stone therapies, neurolinguistic programming and autogenic training. I have practiced my therapies for 25 years and have a number of famous and high profile clients.I have climbed Mount Kilimanjaro to raise money for cancer research in 2009. My other pursuits are ballroom and Latin American dancing, archeology, history, the arts, ballet, opera and drama.

Plans for future books

I have already started the next book in my planned series of five thrillers which will feature DCI Ann Dixon, my protagonist of In the Light of Darkness.The second novel will deal with the illegal trade in Human organs. This is a real issue in Asia, Mexico and has moved to Eastern Europe. The book is entitled, Covert Harvest. I already have a title for the next book. Ring once for murder.