Caroline Dunford

Like most authors I did several jobs before I settled down to writing full time. I've been a journalist, a development officer, and a psychotherapist. I am a novelist, short story writer, mentor, tutor and playwright. Throughout my life I've been fascinated by people - to the extent I even did a psychology degree before training in psychotherapy. I firmly believe that we all make sense of the whole through narrative- even if it's only the one inside your own head. My Euphemia Martins Mysteries are inspired by my maternal great grandmother, who left a life of luxury to go into service.However, everything I do inspires me. The best way of me to make sense of what often seems a very chaotic world is to tell stories. And in those stories I'm always asking questions.Recently my play Burke has gone into its third production. It tries to make sense of what Burke and Hare, still the UK's most successful (?) serial killers did what they did. How they started.You'll find traces of questions like this is the Euphemia stories where I often explore why people can and do do unpleasant things. But - and this is a big but - I also believe that if you want to look at the darker side of human nature you must also pay homage to the lighter side, the truly selfless and generous acts that all humans are capable of doing. And you need humour. Life can deal all of us harsh knocks and laughter is one of the greatest weapons in our armoury - along with love.