In our latest alumni spotlight, we are excited to feature Sarah Tucker, a distinguished author and a recent graduate of the MA in Creative Writing at Roehampton University. Sarah, who graduated with distinction, has made remarkable strides in her writing career, including the recent publication of her biography, Love Laterally, about the influential thinker Edward de Bono. 

Why did you choose to study your particular degree, and why at Roehampton? 

I was already an established author of women’s fiction, but I wanted to return to academia and take a degree. I had studied for a BSc in Psychology at Open University but wanted a campus experience. I live in Richmond upon Thames, close to the park, and Roehampton University is close to the other side of the park. 

The course was excellent, accessible, and manageable, given my workload as an author, journalist, and broadcaster. It also introduced me to areas I knew little about—poetry and children’s literature. The Creative Writing MA also had an excellent reputation. 

What did you enjoy most about your time at the University? 

I enjoyed having one-on-one discussions with the lecturers. That was the highlight for me. I also loved meeting the other students, who were all different ages and offered different perspectives on the same narratives. I particularly enjoyed the challenge of learning about the power of children’s narratives and went on to study Children’s Literature MPhil at Cambridge University as a result. 

The Roehampton University Library is superb. As an alumnus, I feel fortunate to continue to study there, and I wrote much of the de Bono biography Love Laterally within this space. The space created by Roehampton University is excellent for not only research but, more importantly, to have that ‘quiet space’ to put the research down on paper. Strong silence—especially late into the evening—is an excellent time to write up the research and identify what goes where. 

As a person entering university at a later age, I probably appreciated it much more than I would have done as an 18/19-year-old.  

Can you tell me about any activities or projects you were involved in through your degree? 

Authors came in to talk about their work. I also had the opportunity to contribute to Roehampton’s publishing house, Fincham Press, and present my short story, ‘Exit Stage Right,’ to an audience that included commissioning editors. The course offers an excellent range of opportunities and expertise—it is up to each candidate to make the most of their time there. It was a superb course, well thought out, well-paced, and with the best of lecturers. 

What are you doing now, and what kind of skills or knowledge did you gain through your degree that have helped you in your current role? 

I regained my love of Virginia Woolf and of being playfully provocative with my writing. I was introduced to author and illustrator Shaun Tan and his postmodern works, which were fascinating and one to which I felt more closely connected than the adult narratives. 

I continue to write as a columnist for online and print outlets and produce and present on TV and radio. I now also lecture at Cambridge University on lateral thinking and travel writing. I also hold annual lateral thinking and humour workshops at the Hawkwood Centre in Somerset. 

What were some of the most memorable or challenging aspects of your journey researching Love Laterally? 

It would have been much easier to write a fictional novel where the politics of who said what and why could have been structured into a narrative that would not have been confined to the strictures of slander. However, I met some fascinating people, including interviewing Sir Tony Blair, Sir Anthony Seldon, and Peter Gabriel. The story behind writing a biography is as interesting, if not more so than the story itself. What is left out of a biography is often more interesting than what is included. 

Could you share a personal reflection on your decade-long relationship with Edward de Bono? 

I met Edward de Bono by chance, not by design. In December 2013, I was invited to write about Malta for a newspaper and traveled there for that purpose. I met him at a New Year’s Eve Ball at the Corinthia Palace Hotel, which was his former home. Edward was well known for using colour in his thinking tools (like the six thinking hats) and had a passion for simplicity and humor in expanding thinking. 

I was writing up a chapter when Edward’s son told me his father had died. I cried. Edward told me his next book would have been on lateral thinking and humour. He felt humour was an excellent example of how lateral thinking works and should be integrated into the teaching of lateral thinking in schools. 

What was it like to have your work celebrated at the House of Lords? 

The security was extremely tight, and members of the House of Lords are very busy during this time. In the end, we squeezed over sixty people into a room for forty-five, including one baby and a nine-year-old. I organised five speakers who had worked with Edward, including Nicola Tyler, who is introducing lateral thinking to schools in South Africa. We overran by forty minutes, but the sun shone and everyone spoke brilliantly. 

How do you see Edward de Bono’s ideas influencing education and society today? 

I realised there was an older demographic (45 plus) who knew and probably worked with some of de Bono’s thinking tools, and the younger generation who used the phrase ‘lateral thinking’ but didn’t really know where it came from. So I decided to write the biography of a man who had such an impact on thinking for half a century and attempt to play a part in introducing lateral thinking lessons into schools and colleges. 

As far as introducing lateral thinking into schools, this was Edward’s passion. It was industry and commerce which took up the baton. Academia was resistant to his ideas, many believing him to be a charlatan—but his ideas worked and made people richer financially, emotionally, and aspirational. 

Are there any upcoming projects or initiatives you’re working on? 

My aim is to nurture the introduction of lateral thinking lessons into the curriculum of schools around the UK and show how learning lateral thinking techniques can improve time management, clarity, decision-making, and stress management in young people. If anyone would like to get in touch to find out more about how to introduce lateral thinking into the school community, please contact sarah.jtucker@outlook.com. 

How has being a part of Roehampton’s alumni community influenced your professional journey? 

The proximity of Roehampton University to my home means I can use the excellent library to write and research. I am interested in all research and developments relating to education and would love to lecture at Roehampton University one day. 

To learn more about her book, Love Laterally, visit Aurora Metro. 

To learn more about our English and Creative Writing programmes please visit here.