Beginner’s pluck: PAULA LEYDEN

Paula used to live in Africa. After university, she taught for five years. Then she worked in the area of human rights in South Africa.

Once democracy came, she worked for a human rights awareness campaign. She played a considerable part in the abolition of the death penalty there. She moved to Ireland 8 years ago. That’s when she began to write.

“I took a course with Siobhan Parkinson. She liked my writing and recommended me to her agent, Sophie Hicks. I wrote another book before The Butterfly Heart. And since, I’ve written two adult books, and two more for children.”