About

I'm Charlea and I love literature, creative writing and music. My dream is to become a published author and a literary/music journalist.

I love pretty much all classic literature, but my favourite periods are Elizabethan, Romantic and Victorian. I also have a keen interest in the American Beat writers of the fifties. Some of my favourite books include , Great Expectations by Charles Dickens, The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, On The Road by Jack Kerouac and Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell, to name a few.

I write a lot of prose and poetry, usually alternating between the two depending on how I feel at the time. I'm influenced by my favourite authors already mentioned, as well as iconic poets such as Carol Ann Duffy, Grace Nichols and Jackie Kay.

Music is another very important part of my life. My taste is quite broad but generally covers classic rock from the fifties to the present day, as well as various sub-genres. My favourite band is The Beatles, and some others I love are Bob Dylan, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Oasis, Radiohead, Stone Roses... - I could keep this list going all day. Collecting CDs and records is a big passion for me.

I have a growing interest in art (another influence on my writing), and my favourite artist is Vincent Van Gogh who is a big inspiration to me. I'm also a great fan of Dan Eldon, who was an artist, activist and adventurer, and produced art in the form of journals documenting his tragically short life of going on safaris with friends around Africa. He raised money and awareness to those in need and his work within photojournalism brought to light the famine that was occurring in Somalia just before his death in 1993. His story is a true inspiration to me, and anyone with an interest in art and adventure should definitely research him.

Another influential figure in my life is Emma Watson, as a result of her persistence in fighting for gender equality. I am in full support of her recent solidarity movement 'He For She', which, if you have not already, I deeply encourage you to look into.