Meet The Author
As a young child I used to sit and chat to my ‘friend’ Carlotta, she existed in my imagination in the corner of the kitchen and, apparently I used to have very in depth conversations with her! I made up stories about the family animals, told them to her and would meet with her regularly on a Monday, as my Mother did the washing. I never remember being told she didn’t exist and when I, as a mother, introduced my daughter to an imaginary wolf called Wally I could once again revisit that childhood wonder of imagination, which would lead to my love of oral story telling and to sharing my stories with all ages. Growing up I danced and as I danced I told stories through movement, training in performance arts I sang and likewise stories unfolded through songs, I acted and performed and got lost in the tales that were spun, loving the way that audiences could be carried along and immersed in other worlds with me.
Hi,
My name's Jill,
The Performer
I performed professionally in both commercial and rep theatre, dabbled in TV and film, even working with Sir Lawrence Olivier. I've choreographed for circus and fashion and taught for both vocational colleges and within my own studio for many years, teaching children and adults of all ages, sharing my love not just of dance but of telling a story through the physicality of movement.
The Facilitator
I've taken story telling into schools across the U.K, developing and delivering literary workshops from early years to Key Stage Two. As well as acclaimed historical curriculum workshops covering everything from Stone Age to Suffragettes, all of which whilst educational, had story telling at their heart, to great effect and enhancement of the children’s learning.
The Storyteller
As a storyteller, I've have had the joy of telling in some incredible and unusual indoor and outdoor spaces. I have told stories as a Queen, a Witch, Mother Christmas and Mother Ginger, as a WWII Land Girl, a Viking, a Georgian Maid and a Victorian Housekeeper, a ghost, a Highway Man, a time traveller complete with my ‘Case of Curiosity’ and simply as a narrator.
The Director
I was Co-Director of a Theatre Company which performed both well-known pieces and for which I wrote plays, one of which toured for four years marking the centenary of WWI, playing to thousands of people and involving hundreds of school children who took part in workshops and then joined the professional cast to be part of the storytelling.
The Celebrant
As a qualified Celebrant, I specialise in looking after families in their darkest hours, focusing on the writing and delivery of Funerals, Memorials and Celebrations of Life. The gravitas of being trusted to tell the story of a person’s life is something that I never take for granted. I furthered this training by becoming a Bereavement Counsellor something which led to my facilitating and developing the Ten Pathways to Grief Relief.
When not working, although I can hardly call it work as I love all that I do, I walk, walk and walk a little more or you’ll find me on a yoga mat connecting body and spirit to welcome creativity and moments of ‘I must write that down’. Living and working on Ynys Môn, Anglesey on our family farm with my daughter, son in law and their menagerie of animals, allows time to take stock and allow space for creativity!
The Person
The Writer
Working with children as young as two for over 40 years gave me a wonderful insight into their worlds, their development and their amazing capacity for creativity and imagination before the weight of adulthood dawned and it is these privileged years of engagement that have given me the courage and encouragement to write down some of my
children’s stories and poems.
All of my experiences and encounters, those mentioned above and the many more I've been privileged to have had, have all accumulated into the writing of my books whether that be the young person's Mental Health and Wellbeing Book 'You Got This', 'The Ten Pathways to Grief Relief', the poem anthology 'The Wonderful World of Wordology' or even the festive tale of 'Evie Bell'. Head the Bookshelf part of the website to see other titles coming soon or my shop to purchase!
Do reach out and connect with me or sign up to my free mailing list, let me know what you think of the stories, the poems and the musings, or if you want to chat about a bespoke story or story telling for an event check out the ‘commission’ page on this website.