Blood-Tied

Wendy Percival was born in the West Midlands and grew up in rural Worcestershire. After training as a primary school teacher she moved to North Devon for her first teaching post, and remained in teaching for 20 years. An impulse buy of 'Writing Magazine' prompted her to begin writing seriously. She won 'Writing Magazine"s Summer Ghost Story competition in 2002 and had a short story published in The People's Friend before focusing on full length fiction. The time honoured 'box of old documents in the attic' stirred her interest in genealogy. While researching her Shropshire roots Wendy realised how little most people know of their family history and this became the inspiration for 'Blood-Tied'. Wendy continues to be intrigued by genealogy, its mysteries and family secrets. Her discovery of an Australian death certificate, dated 1868, the final year of convict transportation, inspired the novel she is currently writing. An enthusiast for old buildings both in the UK and abroad, she has visited historic sites across the world from Angkor Wat to Machu Picchu. Wendy lives in a Devon-thatched cottage beside a 13th century church, with her husband and a particularly talkative cat. www.wendypercival.co.uk