I have been a vegetarian since 1980, a non-smoker since 1982, and lived in south-west France since 1995.
I’ve had lots of money and lived like a princess; and I’ve had no money at all and lived on Smash for several months. I learned that having, or not having money, has nothing at all to do with being happy.
The things I hate: Cruelty of any kind, and kidney-shaped dressing tables, particularly in front of windows; housework, weeding.
Strongest assets: A good husband; sense of humour; compassion, and ability to cope in an emergency.
Worst characteristics: Selfishness and laziness.
Worst experiences: Three years of purgatory at St Theresa’s Convent, Effingham Hill (what an appropriate address for the place) boarding school for girls, mid-50’s. Stepmother, Italian husband, Italian mother-in-law. Kidnap of children.
Best experiences: Second marriage; two children; becoming a published author. Being fortunate enough to have somewhere to live, enough to eat, good friends, and good health.
Profession: Writer. What I do: www.manuscript-evaluation.com
My published books: A Perfect Circle Two Steps Backward Best Foot Forward
My first love:
A Somali-Arab pony called Cinderella.
Crikey, what an interesting life. Will you be adding to this blog, or will it be left here in cyberspace, suspended? I wasn’t quite sure from what you wrote.
By: Mya on June 13, 2007
at 4:19 pm
Hi Mya
That’s only the tip of the iceberg!
I’m not planning to add any more at the moment, simply don’t have time. However, never say never! Who knows what the future holds!
By: merewoman on June 14, 2007
at 9:50 pm
Great blog, Susie. Just the right length! I think what you list as your worse characteristics: selfishness and laziness, are in fact wonderful personality attributes for a writer.
I enjoy your books tremendously. Keep them coming!
By: Sylvia on July 1, 2007
at 11:34 am
Thanks Sylvia. Do you think that by becoming even lazier and even more selfish, a writer can improve their writing?
By: merewoman on July 2, 2007
at 9:44 am
But you are so colse to your ‘perfect day’. Perhaps it’s time to tell the gardner to smarten up – I know what’s it’s like – just fired mine!
By: lhomme on July 27, 2007
at 10:31 am
Remember when I jumped Cinderella!
And into a lot of things since…………..
Mmmmmmmm
By: Vivien on July 27, 2007
at 1:53 pm
Hi Viv
Yes, I remember it well. You rode her like a dream.
Remember the Cliff Richard autograph? I hope you still have it after all the trouble I went to!
Since then much water under the bridge, much sand across the desert ….. when are you going to write about your unbelievable life?
By: merewoman on July 27, 2007
at 7:45 pm
Hi Susie:
So good to hear from you again.
The final edition of, ‘Nobody’s Son was released on Friday July 13, 2007. And no, I’m not superstitious.
Take care, I care.
By: Frank Keeling on July 27, 2007
at 11:50 pm
Frank
Great news. Your’s is an amazing story, and I’m sure it will sell really well.
Very best of luck
Susie
By: merewoman on July 28, 2007
at 12:10 am
Hey, Suzie……
Wow…..nice site! Sounds like life is treating you quite well. I’ll stay tuned in!
By: Barb on November 12, 2007
at 6:03 pm
Hi Barb
So nice to hear from you! Yes, life isn’t too disagreeable here at the moment. Hope it’s good for you too, and that the deer aren’t eating all your vegetables!
Glad you liked the blog. Do keep visiting. Who knows, one day I might write something worth reading!
Susie
By: merewoman on November 12, 2007
at 6:39 pm
Life is so funny. I am German and I live in England and I am a vegetarian for 13 years now!
I will add you to my blogroll! 
By: Netty on February 29, 2008
at 9:35 pm
Ich wünschte, ich könnte Ihr Blog lesen, Netty.
By: merewoman on March 3, 2008
at 9:18 am
*smile* Don’t worry, I have got a Polish blog on my blogroll, I do not understand a word of polish, but the woman lives in Germany and has got a polish-written blog!
I find that amazing!!
Unfortunately the google translation never translates everything the right way. It is only a translating machine. It is ok for a short sentence but not for a whole text.
By: Netty on March 3, 2008
at 3:15 pm
Found them, I have a look next time I am in town!
By: Netty on March 6, 2008
at 3:24 pm
Netty
You can find them all in your local library – save your money! Also I have a brand new copy of A Perfect Circle which I would like to send you, if you email me your address to susie.kelly(at)laposte.net. Replace (at) with @.
I am trying to understand your website, with difficulty, but thanks to Google translate I think I have understood a little. Am I correct in thinking you are awaiting an organ transplant?
By: merewoman on March 6, 2008
at 10:27 pm
hi Susie long time no see. Have just read your book 2 steps backward. What a hoot and made it even better because having met you I could hear you saying it all. Are you still line dancing? Luv alicatt
By: alison catt on March 24, 2008
at 1:37 pm
Hi Alison
Where have you been? We have missed you at line-dancing. Please come back!
Glad you enjoyed the book.
Hope to see you soon.
Susie
By: merewoman on March 24, 2008
at 4:27 pm
Susie
Forgive me, I am a blog virgin.
However, if my research is correct, I think you and I are soon to be neighbours (that is, if you currently have intermittent neighbours called Steve and Lesley McGill….)
If all goes well, all sorts of paperwork will be signed in the near future and we will be penniless but as excited as your dogs!
If you are the correct Susie, we look forward to more chats over the fence about our share Fosse, if not, I’m truly sorry for sounding like a stalker!
Richard
By: Richard on March 31, 2008
at 4:43 pm
Hello Richard
How are you standing up under the strain of French bureaucracy?
I do hope everything turns out well for you, and will look forward to chatting over the fosse!
Hopefully see you later this year when you move into your cottage. Fingers crosed for you.
Best wishes, and thanks very much for visiting my blog.
Susie
By: merewoman on March 31, 2008
at 4:52 pm
Hi Susie,
Just wanted to say thanks for linking to my site… much appreciated!
Best wishes,
Richard
By: Richard on April 11, 2008
at 11:21 am
Susie. I just want to say that I love that pony – it’s a brilliant photo.
By: Brennig on May 16, 2008
at 11:42 am
Thanks, Brennig, I hadn’t realised that you too are a horse-lover until I saw your new blog design – very nice. Cinderella was the love of my life, I adored her. We were both quite surprised, coming over the top of the triple, to see a photographer lying on the ground and pointing his camera up at us.
His name was Charlie Trotter, and I think he was a staff photographer for one of the Kenyan daily papers.
By: merewoman on May 16, 2008
at 10:49 pm
Hi Susie. Just wanted to let you know that we *did* own all your books, but left them on loan to folks in the UK. So do forgive my middle daughter for picking up a copy of Best Foot Forward for just €1 at Emmaus the other day…:)
By: Richard on September 19, 2008
at 6:12 pm
Hi Richard
That’s OK. As Emmaus haven’t sent me my royalties, and I don’t like to seem mercenary, especially as they are a charity, perhaps you could oblige and let me have 3 centimes a.s.a.p.
By: merewoman on September 20, 2008
at 1:49 pm
I’ll drop it in next time I’m passing
By: Richard on September 22, 2008
at 12:49 pm
Hi there – a quick thanks for your sympathies and delicious cheese recommendations. We’ve tried the comte but are looking forward to the other one. Incidentally, we ran into another funeral in the village today – are funerals commonplace in French villages?
As we’re both writers ourselves, we’ve enjoyed reading your blog.
Cheers,
Leigh (and Andrew)
By: Leigh on December 30, 2008
at 10:18 pm
Hi Leigh and Andrew
I hope the writing is going well. You’ll surely be collecting plenty of interesting material.
In small rural villages, funerals are frequent because normally the majority of the population is elderly – most of the younger people having left to live and work in cities.
If you notice a large, merry crowd gathering in the square, it’s going to be for either Loto or a funeral. When a resident of a commune dies, nearly everybody from that commune will attend the funeral; not only to bid farewell to the deceased, but also to catch up with people they would not otherwise see and exchange news. It’s a very sociable event.
And quite importantly, it ensures that when their own time comes there will be a good turnout. When one of my neighbours died a few years ago I was surprised that another neighbour didn’t attend the funeral. When I mentioned this, he replied that when his father had died, nobody from the other family came to the funeral, therefore nobody from his family would attend any funerals of the other. It’s a reciprocal thing.
By: merewoman on December 31, 2008
at 11:02 am
What an interesting blog
I’ll try and stop by here often!
Lores
By: Lores on January 10, 2009
at 3:52 pm
And very welcome you shall be, Lores.
By: merewoman on January 11, 2009
at 6:10 pm
My first visit here but I’ll be back soon. Nice blog
So then, you’re living in France? Vous parlez francais alors
By: Angele on March 12, 2009
at 7:38 pm
Thanks, Angele, and welcome.
Oui, j’en parle un tout petit peu.
By: merewoman on March 19, 2009
at 2:29 pm
Hello Susie
It’s delightful to have found you. I’ve read three books of yours (not sure if you have published another yet). I enjoyed them so much so that it’s inspired me to follow your path around France as in “a perfect circle’. (but not for a while!) We have a house in SW France and aim to live there next year. I shall enjoy following your updates.
Jenn
By: Jenn on May 7, 2009
at 1:19 pm
Hello Jenn
Love your photo.
So glad that you enjoyed the books. No others published yet, but I’m working on one at the moment, so who knows?
When you do your perfect circle, I hope you will enjoy it as much as we did; and I also hope you will have a far more comfortable and reliable vehicle.
Bon courage, and good luck with your move next year!
Susie
By: merewoman on May 7, 2009
at 2:28 pm
Hullo Susie,
Just wanted to say thank-you for the pleasure of all your books – we’ve a house in the Vendee and your adventures rang quite a few bells! Look forward to the next book.
All good wishes
Mary-Ann.
By: Mary-Ann on May 15, 2009
at 12:54 am
Hi Mary-Ann
Thank you for your very kind comments. I am glad you have enjoyed the books and hope to have another one on the shelves in the future.
May your Vendee summer be a sunny one.
Susie
By: merewoman on May 19, 2009
at 4:44 pm
Hi Susie,
I found your blog the other day and thought I’d left a message but obviously did something wrong! I’ve just finished your Best Foot Forward and enjoyed it immensely, googled you and here I am. Loved your determination and never give up attitude. Delighted to hear you’ve written more books, looking forward to reading them too.
Your blog is great, look forward to visiting it often.
We cycled in France in 2007 and could really relate to passing through villages with no shops when you are hungry and dramas of finding the campsite at the end of the day and lots and lots of rain! Coming over again in August looking to cycle ‘entre deux mers’ finishing in La Rochelle which is what caught my eye in the title of BFF.
cheers
Elizabeth
By: Elizabeth on June 22, 2009
at 2:50 am
Hi Elizabeth
Thanks for visiting, and I’m glad you enjoyed BFF.
Do hope your cycling trip in August will be lots of fun. When you say “entre deux mers”, do you mean from La Manche to La Rochelle?
We have done a cycling tour of the Marne valley and I’m writing a book about that now; I used an electric bicycle to compensate for my substandard back.
Safe journey, bonne route, and good luck.
Susie
By: merewoman on June 24, 2009
at 11:11 am
Hi Susie,
Your book sounds good! My entre deux mers is probably wrong but Atlantic to Mediterranean is what I’m planning on in two bits!
Have to fly into Toulouse so from there to Nimes, originally was only going to Agde but Pont du Gard seemed too close to ignore, then train back to Toulouse then from there to La Rochelle with a few detours around Bordeaux!
If it’s not rude to ask, what maps or research tool did you use to work out exactly where there were campsites?
On the web I’m finding what looks like pretty up market ones with water slides and all that jazz, bit different to the municipal sites I remember in Burgundy and the Loire!
Cheers
Ez
By: Elizabeth on June 24, 2009
at 12:26 pm
That’s quite a ride you’re planning! All those great big hills in the way.
I found all my campsites from the Regional and Departmental Tourist Offices. I’ve always found the municipal campsites to be very pleasant (with a couple of exceptions and that was probably due to the fact I was there before the season had properly started). Once I had a list of all the sites in the vicinity I plotted them on IGN maps and planned my route so that I’d always be able to reach one at the end of each day.
Let me know if you’d like any other information. And keep in touch and let me know how your trip goes.
Kind regards
Susie
By: merewoman on June 24, 2009
at 6:30 pm
Hi Susie,
Good to hear from you, sorry for the delay in responding. Really appreciate your advice, good idea to plot them on the map. We are going to follow rivers and canals most of the way so hopefully the hills won’t be too horrific!
Have sent emails to all relevant tourist offices, yet to get any responses but in another cyclist’s journal picked up this link which has heaps of options, including the municipal sites.
http://www.tourist-office.org/camping/france/camping-france.htm
Less than 6 weeks to go! My request for your ‘two steps backwards’ arrived yesterday at my local library so looking forward to reading that.
Looks like it’s a good summer this year. I suppose winter here in Brisbane, isn’t bad by European standards, but it’s dark so early, just after 5pm, I’m looking forward to some lovely summer evenings
(along with some nice red and good cheese!) Kind regards
Elizabeth
By: Elizabeth on July 2, 2009
at 12:26 pm
Hi Susie from a long time back. Could you e mail me with your present e mail address and then I can send you the letter in my outbox which doesn’t like the tiscali address I have. I need to ask for some info relating to french classes – remember?
By: rhiannon beech on August 11, 2009
at 10:18 pm