AUTHOR and life-coach, Wendy Knee, has lived in Charmouth for three and a half years after frequent holidays to the village.
Originally from Manchester, Wendy left home at 17-years-old and moved around the country as she lived an eventful life before settling in the west country in the mid 1980s.
Wendy has always had a latent desire to write and pursued her passion through local newspapers and company magazines.
Wendy qualified as a life coach six-years-ago and was inspired to publish her first book Never Die Wondering.
Following its success Wendy set up the Charmouth Literary Festival last year with friend and fellow author Sallyann Sheridan.
WHO inspired you to start writing?
As a child I loved the classics, Thomas Hardy in particular. Other people’s lives and the hardships they overcame. More recently I have enjoyed Rose Tremain and Kate Atkinson. Indian writers I love because they write with such a command of the English language for example A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry. I have been to India and this book has everything in it.
WHAT three books would you take to a desert island?
Music and Silence by Rose Tremain to relive the middle years around 1500; Shakespeare – because I love his plays and I think I would have all the time in the world to better understand the detail and his observation of people and a dictionary, including Thesaurus, so that I could truly explore words and their meanings.
WHO are your writing influences?
All the above authors and many more. Locally, Sallyann Sheridan, as she has been really supportive and positive. When we did the Literary Festival last year in Charmouth, meeting other authors inspired me. So many want to write and can write but don’t always believe enough in themselves. They are my writing influences. If I can do it, anyone can do it.
WHAT is your favourite winter read?
Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson. It is true story about an American who went to climb K2 in the mid 1990s and failed. He was taken in by local villagers as he was suffering poor health and he promised to go back and build a school for them high up in Himalayas. He did it against all the odds, no money, no backers, no road, no bridge. He overcame all obstacles.
WHAT book are you currently reading?
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson. It is a brilliant crime book and is the first of a trilogy. I’ll definitely read the rest. It follows a family history that it is full of secrets and lies – and of course, a murder.
WHAT is the role of a life coach?
The role of a life coach is to help people get the most out of their lives, that’s how I simplify it when people ask me that question.
WHAT advice would you give to people who may be struggling in the recession?
I think the first thing I’d say is stop focusing on the money because we are all obsessed with the financial situation. It really does control peoples lives and I think they’re missing the point. I don’t want to belittle it in anyway but you have to look at the whole picture, you are a whole person and we never used to be obsessed with the money before and so to be obsessed about the money now I think is weighing people down. It’s a bit like the weather at the moment, everybody is listening to the weather and nobody is going to work.
ARE there many crossovers between your writing and life coaching?
Absolutely, because the small books that I’m doing now are really because of the life coaching. I felt that it was a way in for me to produce a book, just writing about my own experiences. I am quite courageous, I have done a lot of things and I am prepared to have a go and not put my life on hold. It’s not easy and I do have my moments when I’ve been a bit scared but I thought I’d write about it and I’d use my experiences to encourage people to not be afraid to get on and do things.
WHAT are your upcoming workshops about?
This particular series are life coaching workshops based on my book “Never die wondering” because as a result of the book people keep asking me if I’m running a workshop. The first one starts on Saturday, February 13th and I’m running two sessions in February and March and then the same in May and June.
WHO would be your three dream guests at a dinner party?
A friend and I once gave a dinner party in the 1970s, the criteria being that we would only invite people who would entertain, had intellect or were good looking. We spent a whole day cooking and had a great dinner party. I love music and Ella Fitzgerald is a favourite. I would love to know more about her early days and the wonderful jazz people she sang with. Clive James for wit and humour and of course, his brilliant writing and my glamorous friend Lynn Brunton who is naughty and has a great wit that knows no bounds.
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