Valerie Mendes was born in Buckinghamshire just after the Second World War began. Educated at North London Collegiate School (which she loved) and the University of Reading (which she loathed) she was first published in her school magazine when she was six years old.
It was a defining moment in her life.
During her many years in publishing, Valerie acquired a variety of nicknames. At Oxford University Press she was The Ogre Queen because she had inherited a list of Oxford Graded Readers. In one smaller and rather disorganised publisher she became known as Genghis Khan. While running Wordwise, her home-based freelance enterprise for eight years, everybody called her Eagle Eye.
In her private family life, Valerie is Mum to Sir Sam Mendes CBE and Granny Val to her beloved grand children.
Valerie is still a meticulous Editor, but only of her own work. Her imprint, VMBooks, has published her new historical novels, Daddy’s Girl and Beatrice and Alexander, her Memoir, Not Only But Also, and her collected poems, The Gathering.
Valerie is currently working on her second collection of poems, Rejoicing, her new crossover novel, Where Peacocks Scream, and Flight of the Lark, her sequel to Larkswood.
First to be published will be Where Peacocks Scream with a wonderful launch party and afternoon wines, teas and cakes in The Orangery, Blenheim Palace, on Sunday 9 May 2027 from 4.00 pm to 7.00 pm. Children will be more than welcome, along with their parents.
Valerie in the gardens of The Trout, where her new crossover novel is set. Photo by Paul Downes