It's Saturday, 8th March - International Women's Day - and so I thought I'd write to you about the female authors who have had a profound effect on me, who have made a difference to how I’ve thought or experienced life. Here they are . . .

Jeanette Winterson - "Sexing the Cherry". Has to be top of this category too! Arguably my favourite female author of all time. "Sexing the Cherry" plays with our perception of time, place, gender - I fell in love with it the first time I read it.

Margaret Atwood - "The Robber Bride". This was the first book I ever read of hers and it had quite the effect - it’s one of the only books, aside from the above, that I’ve reread multiple times.

Virginia Woolf - "Orlando". Who wouldn’t want to live for centuries changing gender to suit the times?

Carol Ann Duffy - "The World’s Wife". Duffy’s collection of poetry about famous men but from the significant female in their life’s perspective. Laugh out loud and hugely thought provoking.

C.S. Duffy - "Chances Are". Bringing the voices of Glasgwegian women to the forefront in a hilarious and unique way. These women bounce off the page.

Siri Hustvedt - "What I loved". A staggeringly good novel and one that has stayed with me for decades.

Maya Angelou - "I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings". The epitome of memoir writing, in my opinion!

Which female authors do you like? Let me know!

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On Thursday, it was World Book Day. I set myself some questions to ponder and here are the results. Give it a go, it's a really interesting way to spend ten minutes.

Which book has had a profound effect on you, and why?

“Sexing the Cherry” by Jeanette Winterson. I think I was in my late teens when I read it again and again and again. It challenged all of my perceptions and fixed ideas. It was the first book I read where I really felt ‘this person gets me’. Actually, given the current state of the world - it's one that I would encourage everyone to read!

Which book would you give to your younger self, and why?

”The Midnight Library” by Matt Haig. When we’re young we tend to think that life is fairly fixed, that decisions made are lasting. I’d have liked my younger self to have understood that life is a constant process of change, that there is no right way, that it’s never too late, that the more you age, the younger you can feel if you embrace change and purpose and growth.

Which book do you wish you hadn’t read, and why?

I can’t remember the name of it, or the author - helpful, I know! - but, even though I read it decades ago, it still makes me check the back seat of my car if I’m getting into it alone at night. It was a crime thriller where victims had chloroform put over their faces to knock them out when they got into their cars. They were then taken to a horrible place and tortured. To this day I still don’t know why I read it! Trust, I think, it was given to me by a colleague (who I never saw in quite the same way again!)

Which book have you found to have the most unforgettable opening?

“The Crimson Petal and the White” by Michael Faber. This book opens in the first person but it’s the first person on steroids!! The main character talks directly to you, immediately brings you right into the narrative so much so that you are made to feel uncomfortable and voyeuristic. It is wonderfully written and one that I often use to teach creative writing students on the effect of different ways of starting their pieces.

Feel free to answer any or all of these questions! Let me know how you get on.

If you have any questions or would like to explore how we can work together, feel free to reply to this email or book a complimentary discovery call through my website.

Photo credit: Amanda Hemphill