Eileen West

Since returning from the US in 1991 clasping her degree in Journalism, Eileen has thrown herself into a career as a freelance journalist and writer. She says she now knows why it's called a career as she has "careered" from project to project in a seemingly uncontrollable yet hugely enjoyable and exciting manner. She has written a column for her local newspaper whilst also contributing freelance humorous features to assorted publications. She even became the unlikely Editor of a golf magazine in 1997 (having never swung a golf "bat" in her life ... and still hasn't) and continues to retain a portfolio of clients for whom she writes quirky business and advertising copy for print, broadcast and the web. She also submits the odd short story (extremely odd!) and amazingly has had them published, but has yet to achieve her great ambition - to publish a novel. She's working on it. Eileen is a regular speaker/course leader/disco diva (but we'll gloss over the latter) at The Writers' Summer School at Swanwick but still gets stomach-churningly nervous at the prospect and she hopes we'll be gentle with her.