Meet the creative Hodgetts from Cheddington

Former LBO Village News correspondent Deborah Hodgetts has written an anthology of romantic poetry which was in itself a labour of love, six years in the making.

The mother-of-one from Cheddington describes A Universe of Love (published by Blurb.co.uk) as “a collection of poetry from the heart – it captures the complexities of love, in all its shades and hues.”

The busy scriptwriter and blogger has had her work published in several books and daughter Phoebe, 11, is obviously following in mum’s footsteps.

Deborah, 47, says: “She enjoys writing scripts and animating – when she’s not playing against her friends on the Wii.

“She loves drawing, art and writing as much as I do. At the age of seven, she had her work published in a couple of children’s anthologies.”

Husband Maxwell, not to be outdone, is an award-winning camerman and director of lighting who runs his own company, Indigo Pictures Limited.

He has filmed everything from Homes Under the Hammer to Bargain Hunt, and from corporate shoots to last year’s Olympics and Para Olympics.

Deborah says: “We’re a very creative family and Maxwell is a great rock to rest on when I need a shot of inspiration.”

She started writing when she was seven and credits her grandmother with her love of literature: “I have happy memories of visiting the local library with her. I’d spend hours choosing books and then we’d have a Saturday afternoon treat at the cream cake shop.

“My Mum wrote and performed poetry and my Grandma also wrote poetry. I think they helped guide me and gave me my passion to embrace writing.”

Deborah was involved in a serious car accident in 2012 and started writing a blog entitled The Beautiful Music of Words while she was convalescing.

And she admits she pens purple prose – literally. “I always write everything by hand first,” she explains. “It just seems natural, connecting my heart and mind to the page. And I write poetry with my favourite pen or a purple one I’m quite attached to.”

The prolific author has three more books in the pipeline and is creating a children’s drama script with fellow writer Naomi Mackay. She also has her own greetings card company and sells to a number of outlets, including Dream a Gift in Leighton Buzzard.