A SINGLE mum and home educator is part of a new and unique anthology of poems from England and North America.

Western Skies includes the work of contributors from places as diverse as Oklahoma, Utah, Cumbria and Norfolk.

Among the other creative artists are a harbour master from Miami, the CEO of a vegan organics business in California, an ICU nurse from Saskatchewan, a jazz guitarist from Oregon and a student teacher from Shropshire.

St Helens mum Cassie Fielding, 40, was raised in a literary household in London, but it has taken her 34 years to realise her childhood dream to be “an author”.

Having taken a BEd degree and home educated her two daughters, Cassie is now starring with nine others in this new anthology of international poetry.

“At age six years, I proudly declared to any adult who asked what I wanted to be when I grew up that I would be an author,” said Cassie.

St Helens Star:

Cassie

“But aside from the writing I did for school and university, I barely put pen to paper until my 40th year. I still am not sure why.

“I was raised in a family that valued intellectualism, debate and rational thinking. It was in these areas I excelled and was praised.

"But my fondest memories are the stories my grandmother and father would spin.

“Now to be part of this project has been really fabulous,” she added.

“To be involved with other writers from so many different backgrounds and parts of the world has been a real revelation. There is so much diversity in way we all write.”

The project has been edited and published by award winning editor Nic Outterside.

After 28 years in UK newspaper and magazine journalism Nic set up his own independent UK publishing house Time is an Ocean in 2015.

Western Skies is his 14th paperback publication. Two earlier books – Death in Grimsby and Bones both became Amazon best-sellers.

Western Skies is available as a paperback priced at £8.99 from Amazon.