Born in South Africa, of a Yorkshire father and South African mother, I grew up on an idyllic little farm above Van Reenen's Pass, Orange Free State, South Africa. Always a dreamer I started scribbling stories for my mother as soon as I could write. Through the local Zulus my eyes were opened to the plight of the poor when I was very young. By chance of circumstance I have lived in England since 1973 and since early retirement from Oxford University my main focus has been writing. See WWW.toniacopebowley.co.uk