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'''Linda Proud''' (born July 9th, 1949) is an English writer on cultural and philosophical themes, including ''The Botticelli Trilogy]'' – three novels set in [[Renaissance]] [[Florence]].

== Biography ==
 

The only child of William Wilfred Proud and Sybil Grace Proud, her childhood solitude fostered a lively imagination which, by the age of twelve, was expressing itself in a historical novel. Born in [[Hertfordshire]], she grew up in [[Essex]] and from her first painting book developed a passion for art. Guided into a career by pragmatic people, she was persuaded to train in display and exhibition (for which she gained diplomas at the [[College of Distributive Trades]], [[London]], 1967). But after being a window dresser for about six months she walked away from a life being determined by practical considerations. Once free, she followed a more creative path and began to move towards graphic design. In 1972, however, the sudden onset of [[agoraphobia]] caused her to return home. In this period of darkness, art and all creative activities were abandoned; when she emerged again a year later, it was as a writer.

She took up a career as a picture researcher in publishing and by 1975 was freelance. The previous year had seen the birth of her trilogy as an idea and, at the same time, she began a study of philosophy. For the next three decades she wrote and studied, and was one of the top picture researchers of her generation. Her work on the Cultural Atlas series, published by Equinox/Phaidon, took her to Russia, France and Israel in search of original material. She also worked regularly for Time Life.

In the twentieth century she was an only child and a single woman. All that changed with the new millennium and by the end of the year 2000 she had met and married David Smith and, via the internet, had been contacted by a previously unsuspected half-sister, Teresa. She now has five step-children, three step-grandchildren (so far), a step-brother and sister-in-law, a half-brother-in-law, two half-nephews, and numerous other relations which, in a mythic fashion, she is unable to count. Picture research was abandoned with great regret when new technology robbed the job of its skill and pleasure. She now teaches creative writing to students of [[Sarah Lawrence College]] (Oxford programme) and acts as an editor for a major literary consultancy. She lectures frequently both on creative writing and the Renaissance, and often leads study tours in Italy. With her husband she founded Godstow Press in 2003 to publish creative literature that chimes with their philosophy.

== Philosophy ==
 
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[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1949 births]]
[[Category:English historical novelists]]