Taking A Year Out Of Studies
Travelling in Gap Year Information
Life Without Lottie
How I Coped (or didn't) During My Daughter's Gap Year
England - Hong Kong - Australia - Bali - Singapore
'Definitely a strong contender as debut book of the year'
'Uncompromisingly unputdownable!'
*** Summer 2008 Release ***
About The Author
Fiona was born in Banbury, Oxfordshire in 1955. The only daughter of a GP/Surgeon, she boarded at The Ladies' College, Cheltenham, for five years and then completed her education in Oxford.
After working in London for several years as a pensions analyst within the oil industry, in 1985 she married Nick, a barrister. In January 1988, their daughter, Lottie was born and, 22 months later, their son, John.
Life in central London with two young children soon lost its attraction and so in 1993 the family moved to Somerset where they bought 'Manor Farm', a rambling 15th century farmhouse desperately in need of restoration [pictured in more recent times above].
Once the structural work was completed, with seemingly endless energy and drive, Fiona set about decorating and furnishing in earnest until she had created a stunning family home. However, as the work and the bills multiplied, extra income had to be generated.
Not wanting to leave her young children and go out to work, Fiona started B&B at home. She has turned this into a successful business which she loves doing and many guests return again and again.
Two years ago, in addition to his full-time legal practice, Nick commenced studying for the Ministry. Last year, Lottie left home to travel around Australia during her Gap year.
Fiona found she had time on her hands and decided to write a book, her first, about what life was like 'Without Lottie', how this deeply affected her, and the rest of the family, how she maintained contact with Lottie and what happened both at home and in Australia during that year.
