MANDA Scott’s first novel was shortlisted for two prizes – the Orange Prize for Women’s Fiction in 1997 and the First Blood Award for best first crime novel.

Since then, Manda, who lives in Clun, has written another eight novels, the latest of which, The Crystal Skull, is published in paperback next week.

Manda’s original career path was very different, giving no outward hint that success as a novelist lay ahead. She trained and worked as a vet until moving to Shropshire with her partner, Faith, two years ago.

“I didn’t want to be a vet for the rest of my career,” she says, but admits that could have been different “if I could have been a surgeon”.

Hen’s Teeth was originally published by the Women’s Press.

“Because it featured a lesbian lead character, only the Women’s Press would take it,” says Manda. It then found a mainstream publisher on the strength of its success, a success which didn’t immediately sink in.

“When Hen’s Teeth was shortlisted for the Orange Prize, I didn’t appreciate how unusual that was for a first novel,” she says. “I was very lucky, too, that I started writing at a time when a publisher would nurture you as author. Nowadays, if you’re not making it pretty soon, they can’t afford to keep you going.” Three further thrillers followed, with her fourth, No Good Deed, nominated for an Edgar Award and the film rights optioned. Then, in spite of having been commissioned to write a sequel, fate had a different subject in store.

In 2000, Manda’s lurcher Inca killed a lactating hare, and the vision quest that grew from the incident led to a series of four novels exploring the life and times of Boudica, the war-leader of the Iceni who led the revolt against Rome in 61AD.

The first title in the series, Boudica: Dreaming the Eagle, was recently announced as the winner of the Big Gay Read for Shrop-shire.

Manda’s latest novel, The Crystal Skull, gave her another massive research project to undertake before she could start.

Inspired by the crystal skull in the British Museum, she discovered the Mayan prophecy associated with crystal skulls that predicts the end of the world on December 21, 2012. But if the 13 skulls carved by the Mayans are reunited, the world can be saved from its destiny. Manda has woven the prophecy into a contemporary thriller combined with an Elizabethan strand, as Stella discovers the life-sized blue crystal skull hidden four centuries earlier by its last keeper. It is a race against time to uncover the secret that will save the world.

She herself doesn’t believe the world will end in oblivion in 2012, but she does believe there will be a major shift in the way we live.

“Everything is moving faster towards the point where life on the planet is not sustainable as we are living it,” she says.

“I started off a complete sceptic, writing because I was moved by the crystal skull’s beauty. But the creation of the book has changed the way I think about our future.

“The combined threats of global warming, the proliferation of nuclear weapons and the rise of global terrorism mean that our world is a much more dangerous place than it seemed even 10 years ago.” As well as writing, Manda is a passionate climber: “It represents life on a knife edge, as it’s absolutely impossible to think about anything else. If you’re not totally focused in the moment, gravity will win.” She also teaches shamanic dreaming courses based on the ethos described in her Boudica novels.

Find out more about Manda Scott, her novels and the dreaming courses at mandascott.co.uk. The Crystal Skull is available in paperback now, priced £6.99.