Pamela Gordon Hoad read history at Oxford University, and the subject has remained of abiding interest to her. She has also always loved the drama and romance of characters and plot in historical fiction. She tried her hand at such creative writing over the years but, due to the exigencies of her career, she mainly wrote committee reports, policy papers and occasional articles for publication. After working for the Greater London Council, she held the positions of Chief Executive of the London Borough of Hackney and then Chief Executive of the City of Sheffield. Later she held public appointments, including that of Electoral Commissioner when the Electoral Commission was established. Since 'retiring', Pamela has lived in the Scottish Borders and been active in the voluntary sector. For three years she chaired the national board of Relationships Scotland and she continues her involvement with several voluntary sector organisations. Importantly, during the last few years, she has also been able to pursue her aim of writing historical fiction. The Seraph's Coal is the sixth and final book in the series about the young physician and investigator, Harry Somers. She intends to continue writing historical fiction but her immediate plans concern different protagonists and will be set in a different period. Pamela has also published short stories with historical backgrounds in anthologies published by the Borders Writers Forum (which she chaired for three years). On behalf of the Dorothy Dunnett Society, she has acted as a judge in the annual historical short story competition which the Society runs in conjunction with the Historical Writers Association.