METHODIST minister, Rev Ann Bossingham, has had her 10th novel published and is just as excited as when her first book hit the shelves in 1999. A Gift for a Rake features the daughter of a diplomat, who, because of heavy snow is forced to spend Christma

METHODIST minister, Rev Ann Bossingham, has had her 10th novel published and is just as excited as when her first book hit the shelves in 1999.

'A Gift for a Rake' features the daughter of a diplomat, who, because of heavy snow is forced to spend Christmas in the home of a notorious rake and romance blossoms.

The Upwell based minister writes under the name of Ann Barker and most of her novels are set in the late Georgian period. She is surprised and delighted that so many of her novels have been published in such a short time.

She said: "It was very exciting to have my first book published and I still remember the moment it was accepted. However, it is still just as exciting each time it happens and I am thrilled that people seem to enjoy reading them."

In fact Ann wrote her first book at the tender age of four when he mother stitched some plain pieces of paper together for her to write in. After the promising start there was a break until the age of 12 when she wrote a story involving secret agents and a young man who came to a sticky end.

She said: "At school, English was my favourite subject and I always opted for writing stories if given the choice." Ann had some of her work published in her school magazine.

One of her favourite authors is Georgette Heyer, a writer who continues to be an influence and inspiration. Ann resolved to be as careful in researching background detail.

Already working on her 11th book, Ann has to fit her writing around her work as a minister. To those unfamiliar with novels covering the Georgian period, titles of Ann's books such as 'Fallen Woman' and 'The Squire and the Schoolmistress' may seem racy but she says they are typical of that genre and certainly don't fall into the 'racy' category. She said: "What people wonder most about is how I find the time, this is what intrigues them most.

"It is my release and relaxation. Some people like gardening but I pick up a pen. Sometimes you get a book where the story seems to flow very easily, sometimes it is much harder. It is a little bit like doing a crossword where you go away from it for a while and come back and somewhere in the recesses of your mind you have been working on it."

Ann's congregations are enthusiastic readers of her novels and she likes to give them a happy ending with a feel good factor. Some of the novels, including 'The Fallen Woman' have connections with the Fens. In that novel the main character arrives in March by train and gets employment in Wimblington.