Profile: Evelyn Arslan

I was born in Northumberland, eldest of four children. Began ‘teaching’ in backyard at a very early age!

Married with three grown-up children: Boy and two girls. One grand-daughter aged 9years and another grand-daughter expected in August this year.

Ex-primary schoolteacher; have also taught English to foreign students.

Began writing at age of eight (or so mother reckons!), contributed to college magazine and ‘dabbled’ with plays and poetry.

Mostly writing factual accounts – often of ‘campaigning’ nature! (‘The pen is mightier than the sword’!)

Regular contributor to local newspaper. Have had poems printed in East Midlands Anthology and various magazines.

Close links with Italy and have visited Jordan and Iceland.

Contributed to travel magazine.<

We were unsuccessful in setting-up writers’ group in Hucknall, but a visit to Eastwood Group proved to be a ‘turning point’, especially in my case.

At that time my main concern was fighting to save local playing field from developers. Was told that sounded like Tony Butler’s type of writing for Nottinghamshire Times on-line magazine. Went home and looked it up and was ‘hooked’ – exactly my type of writing! Now have regular column and love it!

Visiting Eastwood group has given me more confidence and am presently embarking on a piece of FICTION!! (But it is going very slowly at the moment!)