Julie Maisey

Ten words to sum up your working life to date ...

Interesting, varied, challenging, comedic, humbling, unbelievable, fun, joyous, giggly, informative.

Nine things you can see from where you're sitting ...

The cherry blossom, my lawn which is a bit distressed, flowers coming in to bud, trampoline, my daughter doing somersaults, apple tree blossom, my seedlings being devoured by pesky slugs, bees and a shed that needs painting!

Eight minutes to prepare a meal. What's it going to be ?

Scrambled egg and bacon with toast and tea … That should leave a few minutes to spare.

Seven people you'd like to go for a drink with ...

Stephen King as I’ve been a fan of his since I was eight and my brother gave me Salem’s Lot to read, Julianne Moore as I really like her films and I think she would be interesting to talk to, Amy Poehler, Lee Mack and Tim Vine because they make me laugh a lot, Prince the musician ( or whatever name he goes by nowadays) and Prince Charles as he’s a keen organic gardener and I could learn a thing or two especially about slugs!

Six things you can't live without ...

My daughter, books, the sea, laughter, my closest friends and my partner. The Virgo me wants to say practical things like money, food and shelter but in a zombie apocalypse it would be the first six things that I couldn’t carry on without.

Five favourite words ...

Epiphany, alacrity, hello, wonderful and a swear word, I don’t mind which one but I’ve just got to have one, sorry.

Four places you'd run away to ...

Cornwall is one of the best places in the world for me, Kefalonia, Kew Gardens, Sicily and London because it’s a place you can get lost in and weirdly have peace amidst all the chaos.

Three books you've bought recently ...

We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler, which is a really good, read, I loved it.
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt, which I am reading at the moment and it is so engrossing.
Unruly Girls, Unrepentant Mothers by Kathleen Rowe, it’s an academic book as I’ve been studying and explores mother /daughter relationships in popular culture.

Two things that make you rant ...

Rude people! I cannot imagine what goes through the heads of people who send impolite texts or emails and don’t even bother with a full stop on the end of their sentences or think it’s OK to be rude and abusive to people they have never met (or ones they have). Illegal parking is another thing that makes me rant. Why would it possibly be OK to block the pavement so people in wheelchairs or pushing buggies have to go on the road? How can someone justify blocking a bus lane, or parking so badly an emergency vehicle can’t get through. And parking over a driveway or dropped kerb is so ignorant and anti-social. I cannot understand why people can’t think a little about whether they would like to be treated that way and maybe practice being kind. Rant over! Breathe …

One thing you'd tell your teenage self ...

Just one? Really? I would tell young me to invest in Apple products!