Better late than never

When I was very young, about 8 years old, I was allowed to stay up and watch Michael Parkinson on a Saturday night. I loved the torch singers on the show; dramatic women in silk dresses, mascara cascading down their faces as they belted out a sorry ballad. I knew that was what I wanted to do, 100%.

My friend Lynne and I created song and dance performances for her parents, charging them 10p at a time (better than today's rates, I reckon - and we did put the hours in). They patiently sat through renditions of 'Fernando' and 'Angelo' as we twisted and wept through our carefully choreographed interpretations. I sang in the school operettas, musicals, choirs. Then I put it all away because it wasn't practical and I was encouraged to be sensible and quiet.

Turns out I still want to be that torch singer, probably more than ever. I'm doing a course called 'Finding Your Voice' at the moment, encouraging me to write the most evocative and authentic prose that I can and it's revelatory. I am too old and broad in the hip now to put all the contents back in the box and care a lot less what others think of my drama. I'm finding my voice and letting it be heard.