Paula Matthews, the writer who has created this story, is a poet based in County Down, Northern Ireland. Paula is a qualified social worker who has worked in the field of childcare for nine years and has had a great deal of training in child development and communicating with children.
This story comes from Paula’s own childhood experiences of playing with her grandmother and using the magic words ‘ Inky-Dinky Dookey-Doo” to create a magic kingdom, where anything could happen, every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon.
Paula has overcome dyslexia and gone on to be a practicing professional and a creative writer. She attributes her love of writing to her grandmother, Ivy Millar’s, vivid imagination and excellence in story telling. Ivy was better known to Paula and her sister as ‘Nanny-No’ because she shouted ‘No’ every time her little granddaughters sneaked around her house turning lights on.
Paula lives with her husband and two small children and has found that motherhood has caused her to try her hand at telling stories for children as well as writing poems for adults. Paula has recently completed a mentorship with the literary agency LitNet NI and has recently received a SIAP Award from the Arts Council NI as well as being the creative director of Marginal Theatre. Paula is also currently editing the online litmag of new writing for children, The Launchpad and is writing short stories for children in the Newtownabbey In-Touch magazine Paula’s new-found love of children’s books comes from her desire to make memories for her children, just like her Nanny-No did for her.