Sue Barrow

I was born in Cardiff and it's where I have lived for most of my life.

My early efforts at writing were inspired by the stories I loved best - Enid Blyton's 'Mallory Towers,' Elinor M.Brent-Dyer's 'Chalet School' series and the 'Jill' books by Ruby Ferguson. These days I prefer writing realistic fiction for young adults focussing on the challenging, real-life situations they find themselves in. 'Keeping Secrets' was my debut novel, telling the story of sixteen-year old Ceri, who, feeling out pf place in her adoptive family, decides to go looking for her birth mother.

When I went to university, North London was my home for three years. Studying History turned out to be an excellent choice and later led to writing the 'Hometown Histories' for children - one on Cardiff, another on the Welsh Valleys.

To be a writer you must love reading as well! YA authors like Miriam Halahmy, Julia Green and more recently Patrice Lawrence are among my favourites. But if I had to choose a stand-out novel it would be Jennifer Donnelly's 'A Gathering Light,' a moving and powerful coming of age story.

A book that resonated strongly with me when I had the idea to write a human trafficking story was Laurie Halse Anderson's 'Chains,' charting the fight for freedom of a young black slave caught up in the American Revolutionary War.

My own novel 'SOLD - What will it take to find freedom,' which came out in 2023 is available as an e-book and in paperback.

When I’m not writing I love walking the Wales coastal path, eating shellfish and beating my family at board games.