An intelligent thirty-something woman bears her soul to a seventy-something something man 6,000 miles away. In the process, they write a great book and become forever friends. So that's how my memoir, Still Standing, came about. Critically-acclaimed American Author M.G.Crisci and I reunited at the Dublin Writer's Conference in 2019, having met a year earlier at the same event. Mathew encouraged me to share my story in a biography and the result may be one of the more unusual

'You know what, your story is interesting. It would make a great book,' American author, Matt Crisci told me. 'Um, no thanks,' I replied, rather bluntly. One year later, reunited at the Dublin Writers Conference, Matt said: "I'll ask once more, and if the answer is still no, then I'll never ask you again." My answer surprised us both. "Okay, I'm ready." By the end of the conference we were sat in a plush hotel having lunch and plotting chapters. Matt was riveted, even said,