My Story

I'm Francesca Catlow, author of escapist women's fiction with romance and emotional twists. During the pandemic I was at home looking after my husband who has daily seizures, a two-year-old and a new born. Everyone was trapped indoors, unable to live even a shadow of their normality. I coped with this by writing my first novel and creating my own kind of freedom whilst wide awake at four a.m. wishing I was in Greece. 

I have a way of creating my own version of freedom. Previously through performance and now through my writing. I free my mind and open doors to new realms and characters. This is why I write escapism romance rooted in reality. My first novel is set in Corfu, a location that is deeply connected to my family. I love everything Greek, so, of course my tired mind took my protagonist off to Corfu. I put her there to give her the freedom I didn’t have. Even the worst parts of a beach holiday were appealing at that time. Even the idea of sand ground into the roots of my hair was appealing!

I’ve always been rebellious, living my life unconventionally. I was a performer and dance teacher. It wasn’t until I was in my late twenties that I decided to undertake a degree with the Open University. Even then, it was only after writing the first draft of my novel that I signed up to take a Creative Writing module. This is not the usual way around. But, my whole life I’ve been fiercely independent in how my life was to be lived.