Born in Edinburgh in 1956, Maggie Asquith graduated as a mature student from the University of Stirling with a First-Class BA Honours degree in Human Resource Management in 1992 and an MA post graduate degree awarded by the University of Durham in 1996. There followed a career in HR mainly in the public sector, presenting an ideal opportunity to observe and become fascinated by the lives of others, often inspired to imagine fictional characters and scenarios whilst sitting on many an interview panel.
Before attending University, Maggie had a number of jobs including being an au pair, a trampoline attendant, civil servant and a 12-year career as a Prison Officer where she developed an interest in the human despair and wretched circumstances that can lead people to the wrong path in life. After years of quietly writing and hoarding her fictional stories, and now in semi-retirement she is enjoying having the time to create evocative vignettes, like little snapshots in time that intrigue.
A hard-working Scottish lass, Maggie was brought up to respect and admire the works of Robert Burns and his ability to empathise with the human condition, a lifelong influence of which she is proud. Her dry humour and appreciation of the quirky have contributed to 35 years of happy marriage and she considers herself the luckiest step-granny to seven.
Maggie is very fond of hill-walking, a ‘gid wee dram’, steampunk, progressive rock music, narrow-boating, creative writing and reading crime fiction. She has lived near Barnard Castle for three years following a six year sojourn in France, and now relishes the natural attractions of Teesdale and being inspired by its stalwart people.
Barnard Castle Writing Group 