Marie Joseph knew that her arthritis was incurable, but still she was determined not to give in to it - to live a "complete" life.

Through both the constant pain and the endless series of cures, she never lost sight of either her own resolve, her love for her family, or her sense of humour.

This is her story. It is the courageous story of learning to live with a crippling illness - made even more remarkable because Marie Joseph went on to become one of our most popular contemporary novelists, the bestselling author of Maggie Craig and A Leaf In The Wind. But above all, this is a story of inspiring strength - an adventure story of the spirit - funny, vivid and intensely moving.