About the Author

Marianne is a musician, writer, teacher, director and trained musicologist. She sung professionally as a soloist in the lyric theatre and on the concert platform in recital, chamber-music and as guest artist in symphonic performance - including a special Command Performance for the South African State President - and has collaborated with leading names in the music and theatre worlds . She also worked as a photographic model. As a young girl, Marianne played first violin in a National Youth Orchestra formed by the International Arts League of Youth and was also awarded a Silver medal by the Province of Natal for the violin. She holds two university degrees and several diplomas . Marianne was awarded a Gold Medal in Campidoglio, Rome, for her vision of Art as a "Language without frontiers". Her origins are primarily Anglo -Celtic coming from a family with a long recorded history that has over the centuries, produced internationally renowned academics and scientists whose work is acknowledged on three continents. As a person she is innately curious about the world and its different peoples - she sung in 14 languages - is deeply cultured and inherited from her father deep love and respect for Africa and her peoples. Aside from 'White Witness', she has written much poetry and a collection of fairy tales, 'The Little Book of Elves and Other Stories' which includes: 'The Butterfly and the Chameleon"' now in production as both book, e-book and recorded visual form. She has also written three books of didactic texts on learning and teaching English: My English Book I; II; III. She lives at present in Italy.