Sarah-Jane's father said she was born with an enquiring nature; her mother said she was born just plain nosey. Her three sisters each bought a lock for their bedroom door.
Sarah-Jane's first word was "book" and she never looked back.
By the age of five she had two ambitions - the first to be a writer and the second to marry the boy next door. She has achieved both.
Sarah-Jane still lives in Burslem, with her husband, artist, Ernesto Steadman, their two children, and pets, Ceefer, Deefer and Arfur Rabbit.