Fran Hill

Fran Hill is a British author and educator. She gained recognition for her humorous memoir and wrote a full-length novel Cuckoo in the Nest (2023), inspired by her experience of being fostered as a teenager.

Fran Hill was born in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire. With the guidance of caring foster parents, Fran embarked on a journey of self-discovery, experimenting with writing poems.

In 1980, Fran moved to London after declining a school place to pursue A-levels. She landed her first job as a secretary at the London Hospital in Whitechapel, where she worked with the Out-patient Psychiatric Department. Two years later, she married, finally becoming a mother to three children.

In 1995, Hill decided to expand her creative horizons and attended Creative Writing classes. Her writing evolved beyond angst-filled poetry, and she began exploring new avenues. In 1998, she achieved the highest mark in the country for her English Literature/Language A-level studies at evening school. This accomplishment led to recognition in national newspapers, including The Independent and the Mirror.

At 37, Fran pursued her passion for English and enrolled at St Mary's University College, Twickenham, earning an English degree. She started publishing articles and features while participating in writing competitions.

Fran's career took an unexpected turn in 2002 when she enrolled in teacher training for secondary schools. Just as she obtained her PGCE in secondary English and embarked on her teaching career in 2003, her writing began to flourish.

She became a regular contributor to the Times Educational Supplement and achieved success in writing competitions and performance poetry. Returning to her roots in Leamington Spa, she even ventured into stand-up comedy.

In 2016, Fran Hill participated in the prestigious Writing West Midlands Room 204 mentoring program. Two years later, Tony Collins, the Commissioning Editor for SPCK Publishing, encouraged her to write a funny memoir based on her teaching experiences. In May 2020, her memoir titled 'Miss, What Does Incomprehensible Mean?' was published by SPCK, receiving positive reception.

In 2022, Fran began writing a story about a teenager who finds herself in foster care and discovers she is not the most dysfunctional person in the home. As a result, Legend Press acquired the book.

Her novel, Cuckoo in the Nest, was released on April 26, 2023. Inspired by its success, she embarked on writing a sequel.

Fran Hill still lives in Leamington Spa.

Photo credit: www.franhill.co.uk