BiographyMeet Mary Medlicott

It seems decidedly odd to me that I got into being a storyteller. As a child, I knew about storytellers in the ancient past. Storytellers existed in my family too. My father could scarcely answer a question without telling some kind of tale. My Aunty Mali (who wasn't really my aunty) also told me lots of stories. When I visited, I'd sleep in her huge double bed and hear the adventures of her life from Pembrokeshire to Patagonia, Australia to America.

Stories opened the up the world to me. I knew I wanted to travel. Africa was my first destination. I went to Nairobi as a VSO and the Orphanage children taught me Swahili and got me singing Kenyan pop songs. Back home, after University I became a journalist in London. But it wasn't until I tried - and failed - to write a book that I began telling stories 'out of my mouth'.

Many of thousands of stories later, I feel extremely lucky. I've worked all over Wales and England. I've made a TV series, By Word of Mouth, and been on numerous trips abroad. In South Africa, I experienced 'loud listening' which is a bit like the deacons calling out 'Amen' in chapel when I was a child. In New Zealand, I became the first woman to be allowed to speak in public at the Maori marae in Rotorua. In America, I joined the North American Welsh Choir to perform a new commission for choir and storyteller, Lifting the Sky.

Suddenly my writer's block was gone. Open Secret came spilling out. It reminded me of days spent exploring with my schoolfriends. Elephant Luck returned me to being a child detective in Fishguard, spotting mysteries on every corner. Shemi's Tall Tales took me back to my father recounting the adventures of Shemi Wad being carried over to Ireland by a flock of seagulls.

And next? Writing or storytelling, I hope to continue listening and looking and feeling delighted if I can succeed in sharing my joy I the world about me.

Useful web links

http://www.gomer.co.uk/gomer/en/gomer.ViewAuthor/authorBio/1104

http://www.valleystream.co.uk/clickast.htm

Storytelling links

http://www.pontbooks.co.uk/

http://www.academi.org/

www.sfs.org.uk

http://stories.weblog.glam.ac.uk/pages/show/6

http://www.gwales.com/intro/

Publicationswww.oriel.ysgolccc.org.uk/boathouse/storyteller.html

For other publications visit: www.storyworks.org.uk

Author questionnaire.

Where did you grow up?The first fourteen years of my life were spent in Fishguard, Pembrokeshire. When we moved, it was just a few miles down the road to St. David's, the smallest city.

What did particulary like and dislike about school?I didn't like my father being the headmaster of my Secondary School. I liked having lots of friends.

What did you want to be as a child?At different times, I wanted to be a farmer, a teacher, a ballerina and a radio presenter.

What was your favourite book as a child?I loved Heidi because it made me cry.and Alice in Wonderland because it made me laugh. I also lved poetry books.

What makes you happy?The best thing is going for a walk in the country with my husband an dsinging at the top of my voice in the middle of nowhere. Another best thing is everything to do with Pembrokeshire. But I can't leave out my friends, my cats, the sea, storytelling with children and reading.

What makes you angry?War makes me angry, also people being unkind to children.

What is your favourite animal?Cats and elephants.