ABOUT ME
“Amanda” is one of my given Christian names but not the one by which I am commonly known. I am an only child but have more cousins than I can count. I was born in Berkshire, England, in May 1972 and although I grew up on the Isle of Wight, I left there when I was eighteen to go to university and eventually settled in Surrey.
I have been an avid reader since I was a young child and count books by Lewis Carroll and C. S. Lewis amongst my all time childhood favourites. My first introduction to Tolkien came when I read The Hobbit at the age of eleven. I didn’t read The Lord of the Rings until I was at university and although I’d like to say that something magical happened when I read it for the first time, it didn’t. I actually found it quite laborious to read and I didn’t pick up The Return of the King until quite a while after finishing The Two Towers, a sure sign of how riveting I found it.
It was when I read the book for the second time that it truly gripped me. Here was a work which, in my eyes, surpassed everything else I had ever read and I soon became a Tolkien addict. These days, I’m pretty much obsessed with Middle-earth and I enjoy reading Tolkien’s books over and over again. I am a member of the Tolkien Society and am a great fan of the Tolkien Ensemble.
As far as Peter Jackson’s films are concerned, I have now seen all three and, whilst it is fair to say I have one or two minor grumbles, I feel that an excellent job was done in interpreting Tolkien’s masterpiece and bringing his world to life.
Career wise, I work as a solicitor. I developed an interest in law after seeing a television programme about a lady barrister when I was a child, and from then on there was only one possible career for me. I graduated from the University of London with a Batchelor of Laws degree in 1993 and qualified as a solicitor three years later. I specialise in personal injury law.
As far as hobbies and interests are concerned, I have quite a few, and I’m certainly not one to make the internet the be all and end all of my life. I’m an avid reader and have a wide and varied taste in books, and I’m also keen on sports. I enjoy watching football, Formula One and tennis. The latter is a sport I enjoy playing, although I’d be the first to admit that my enthusiasm probably outstrips my ability. I love foreign travel. Going on country rambles is another hobby I’m fond of and I adore animals, especially dogs. I have been a vegetarian for several years.
I’m keen on physical fitness and generally do an aerobics work-out every day. I enjoy classical music (I played violin in my school orchestra) and am a keen concert-goer. I enjoy the performing arts generally, especially ballet, something I studied for many years. I currently play the flute, a hobby which gives me immense pleasure.
With regards to writing, this is something I have always enjoyed, starting back when I was at school. I have written three or four full-length novels, all of which have unfortunately been rejected by publishers. Although I would love one day to be a published author, I am realistic about my chances.
It’s hard to say precisely when my interest in slash developed, although I can remember being struck by the love between Frodo and Sam when I read The Lord of the Rings for the second time. I started writing slash fiction in about April 2002 and find that it gives me a great deal of pleasure and satisfaction. It’s wonderful for me to hear from people who have enjoyed my work; I get a real thrill out of bringing happiness to others in this way. I rarely get the chance to read fanfiction these days, so please do not email stories to me. I am currently beta reading for one author.
If you would like to make use of my work in some way then it would be appreciated if you would kindly ask permission first. Finally, thank you for visiting my website and for taking an interest in me.
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