About Me

There are three sections to this part of the website…so don’t forget to have a browse around.

Here you’ll find a short biography; answers to some Frequently Asked Questions and a sneaky peak into my photo album.

If after taking a look, there’s still something more you’d like to know then send your questions and I’ll get back to you with an answer just as soon as I can!

HL Dennis

Official Biography

Pisces symbol

I was born in Brighton England in 1970.

My birthday is 23rd February which makes me a Pisces. (This might explain why I like water and islands so much but more of that elsewhere!)

Brighton Pier

School, Teaching & Marriage

I went to school in Brighton and then trained to be a Junior School teacher. While I was training, I worked in a book shop which was excellent fun. I also worked at a boarding school for deaf children helping them out with their evening activities and their homework.

I met my husband at university and we actually got our first teaching jobs together at a school called Ocklynge in Eastbourne, East Sussex. I still teach at Ocklynge but my husband moved on from there a while ago and is now Head Teacher at Tollgate School in Eastbourne.

Meggie

My Wonderful Meggie

Our wonderful daughter Meggie was born in 1996 and that meant I could have a break from teaching in school. In the time when Meggie was tiny I taught some children at home who came for lessons in the evening and I also worked as a storyteller for school Book Weeks.

A Teepee

Teepees, Stories & Creative Writing

Once we had a huge Native American tepee put up in the garden and I told stories in the tepee to children from the local infant school! In the year 2000 I took an MA in ‘Creative Writing, Education and the Arts’ at Sussex University.

Voynich Manuscript

Myths & Legends

I specialised in looking at myths and legends and how they are used in modern fiction for young readers. It was during this time that I first began to work on ideas for what has now become the ‘SECRET BREAKERS’ so I have been working on the series for over ten years.

Old style typewriter

A Lifelong Dream

In 2006 I met my brilliant editor Beverley Birch and in 2009 I signed the contract with Hodder Children’s Books for a six book deal. I was very excited when filling in my census form in 2011 as I could put ‘Author’ as my occupation! I had wanted to be an author since I was a little girl and so having my books in print is really the fulfilment of a lifelong dream!