World of Words: A Weaver of magic tales...

AUTHOR Pam Weaver has written more than 150 articles and 136 short stories. Her phenomenally successful novels – Better Days Will Come (2012) and Pack Up Your Troubles (2013) – are set in Worthing during the Austerity years. Her latest saga, For Better For Worse, will be published later this year.

In no more than 10 words what are the best things about Worthing?

The people, the location, and the shops.

How did you come to live in Worthing and why does it inspire you?

I met and married my husband, who was born and brought up in Goring. Worthing inspires me because it has satellite villages – Broadwater, Goring, Durrington etc. – which have been swallowed up by its urban sprawl.

Villages and village life make excellent backgrounds for sagas.

How did you first get published?

I was asked to have a go at writing a children’s short story by the editor of a small print newspaper. It was 500 words and not very good – in fact, terrible! – but they published it and paid me £3. From that moment, I was hooked.

What do you think is the best thing about being a writer?

Everything. It’s an absolute joy to me. When my husband was seriously ill with cancer – thankfully, he’s now full recovered – I discovered that even when your world is falling apart around you, even if it’s only for a short while, you can still get lost in a story.