Claire Dowley read English and American Literature at the University of Warwick. She worked in London for Theatrical and Advertising Agencies during the eighties before packing a rucksack and flying to Australia. There she trained as a teacher and taught English and Literature in schools for 25 years. Retiring in 2019 she turned her hand to writing. Her first novel, "Blackwood", was a finalist in the 2021 Claymore Award and in 2023 was long listed for the McKitterick Prize. She now divides her time between her two homes in Norfolk, UK and Bells Beach, Australia.
