When I Was

Born in London in 1950, to an Anglo-Indian mother and writer father, Miranda Miller has written eight novels, stretching from the eighteenth century to outer space. As well as the life of the artist Angelica Kauffman narrated in the first person, Miranda has given us the voices of London's homeless women. A former Royal Literary Fund Fellow at London's Courtauld Institute, visual art is a key ingredient in Miranda's work, as is her ear for dialogue which stems from a love for theatre. While London is the heartland of her life and work, her writing also takes in experiences from her years living in Saudi Arabia, Libya, Japan and her much-loved Rome. Married with one daughter, she lives and writes in London.

A Writer's Review BOOK OF THE YEAR, chosen by Leslie Wilson - "What struck me about this novel was the vulnerability of people trying to be adults, and somehow never managing it; the deeply insecure parents are imprisoned by their class and difficult background, trying to negotiate the world without enough tools to do so, at least not enough to fool other adults that they know what they're doing, and aren't we all like that at times? The four children are also struggling through their lives, particularly the youngest, an observant, sometimes truculent little girl who loves her parents in spite of their failings. The family relationships ring absolutely true.There are passages of wonderful comedy, particularly the abortive excursion to Brighton in a hire car, which turns out a disaster, particularly for the car. There's  also deep and devastating sadness. Engaging, perceptive and compassionate, this is a novel that’s hard to put down."