Who Am I? #5

Let me spin you a tale.

I was born July 31, 1965 in Yate, England. My early life was definitely considered normal without any unique circumstances.

It was not until I graduated from the University of Exeter that I decided to go my own way, or at least thought about it. For example, when I was riding the train one day, the idea for a book came into mind.

After University, I moved to Portugal to teach English in 1990. During that time, I met my first  husband, and had a daughter with him. When we divorced, I decided to move to Edinburgh with my daughter to stay with my sister and get my life back together.

I’m going to lie, those years were tough, struggling to support myself and my daughter on welfare. But during this time, the idea for the book came back into mind.

I decided to work at it. And when I completed the manuscript, I decided to submit it to publishers.

After being rejected from 12 different publishers, the 13th decided to accept my book.

Afterwards, that work became a best-seller in both the United States and the United Kingdom.

Since then, that one book became the first of a very popular children’s series and the basis of a mega blockbuster success.

Who am I?