I am a writer and photographer. Fig Swims the World is my debut novel for readers aged 10+. This is my favourite age to write for as I read so much at that age, when I read all of Judy Blume's books, Malory Towers, the Chalet School series and Sweet Valley High. I enjoyed writing about quirky characters, none of whom are perfect. Writing Fig Swims the World combined my love of maths, music and swimming. The inspiration came from the group of people I started to meet on my various open water swimming adventures.I've always been a keen swimmer, but a chance reading of an article a few years ago, about Lord Byron, inspired me to follow in his footsteps and swim the Hellespont, a 5km stretch of water between Europe and Asia. Since then I have swum a 10km marathon swim down the River Dart, learned to free dive like a mermaid, swum round Brownsea Island and Burgh Island, competed in the annual Copenhagen Trygfondenswim and completed a night swim complete with glow sticks.