CJ Rose: My Story

I started writing at a very early age.  I wrote short stories and pantomimes.  For readers outside the UK, a pantomime is a type of theatrical performance based on fairy tales like Cinderella.  They are for children and the young at heart.  It has songs and jokes (mostly bad).  Oh yes, and a pantomime dame (a man dressed as a woman).  I used to get my family to perform them.  In order to protect the innocent, I won't tell you who played the dame, but there are photos.

I wrote short stories in school as part of English class.  But then I did a business degree and didn't write much until after an illness.  I went to lots of creative writing classes and groups.  I wrote stories and poetry, however I prefer writing articles and creative non-fiction.  

I've had several letters published in magazines.  At the moment I write on two blog sites and I am also writing an e-book (slowly).  

I did a BA in Tourism Management, mainly because I wanted to travel.  I worked in a hotel in France and an office in Canada.  Both were highlights of my life.  I worked in a small village in France.  Banff which is in the Canadian Rocky Mountains was very beautiful.  I went on day trips to Lake Louise and Vancouver.  I absolutely loved it.

I did office work for about a year after I graduated.  But it really wasn't for me.  After that I got into volunteer tutoring in computing and English as a second language.  I eventually got a job in a college helping disabled students by note-taking, scribing for exams and with reading tasks.  In the summer I did the CELTA (Cambridge Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults).  In 2009 I started private tutoring online and face-to-face.  

Last year I got a new website for my business.  I started blogging and really enjoyed it.  I also have another website which I am developing about internet business.  My e-book is about ESL and hope to finish very soon,

In the future I would like to make an income from my writing and maybe also become a career coach. 

I had a hand-reared lovebird, Regi.  Unfortunately he passed away a few weeks ago.  But he was a wonderful pet and we had 15 happy years together.

I really love to travel and would like to go back to mainland Europe again (France, Spain and Italy).

I enjoy line dancing and walking.  I live near some lovely parks.

I also really enjoy reading.  I like women's fiction and especially Irish authors like Maeve Binchy and Cathy Kelly.  I also enjoy reading autobiographies especially about travel.

CJ Rose is a pen name made from my initials and my paternal Granny's name.