Editing Lindsey Davis (section)

==Life and career==
Davis was born in [[Birmingham]] and after taking a degree in [[English literature]] at [[Oxford University]] ([[Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford|Lady Margaret Hall]]),<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.lmh.ox.ac.uk/Alumni/Prominent-alumni.aspx | title=LMH, Oxford - Prominent Alumni|access-date=20 May 2015}}</ref> she became a [[civil servant]] for 13 years. When a [[romantic novel]] she had written was runner up for the 1985 ''[[Georgette Heyer]] Historical Novel Prize'', she decided to become a writer, at first writing romantic serials for the UK women's magazine ''[[Woman's Realm]]''. One of these, ''The Bride from Bithynia'', was published in her 2023 collection ''Voices of Rome''.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Davis |first1=Lindsey |title=Voices of Rome |date=2023 |publisher=Hodder & Stoughton |isbn=9781399721332 |page=10-11 |chapter=Introduction}}</ref> 

Her dedication of the book ''[[Rebels and Traitors]]'' (2009) reads: "For Richard / dearest and closest of friends / your favourite book / in memory", and the author's website relates: "I am still getting used to life without my dear Richard. For those of you who haven't seen this before, he died in October [2008]."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lindseydavis.co.uk/lindseyspage.htm |title=Lindsey's page |work=The Official Lindsey Davis Website |access-date=2009-09-01 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090429084212/http://www.lindseydavis.co.uk/lindseyspage.htm |archive-date=2009-04-29 }}</ref> The author says in her publisher's newsletter: "The greatest recommendation I can give is that Richard, its first reader, thought it wonderful. He devoured chunks, demanding ‘Bring more story!’ even when he was in hospital. One of the last things I was ever able to tell him was that ''Rebels and Traitors'' was to be published by Random House, so I would be working with dear friends for his favourite book."<ref name=news09>{{cite web|url=http://www.randomhouse.co.uk/lindsey_davis/issue9/Lindsey%20Newsletter.pdf|title=The Lindsey Davis Newsletter, no. 9|date=January 2009|work=Random House Publishing|access-date=2009-03-31|archive-date=19 May 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110519201552/http://www.randomhouse.co.uk/lindsey_davis/issue9/Lindsey%20Newsletter.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Davis suffered from the eye condition [[keratoconus]] from childhood, and in adulthood had a [[corneal transplant]], about which she has said: "A stranger's generosity freed me from years of pain and anxiety" and urges her readers to carry a [[donor card]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Davis|first=Lindsey|title=Five-minute memoir: Lindsey Davis on life with her brand new eye|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/features/fiveminute-memoir-lindsey-davis-on-life-with-her-brand-new-eye-7618940.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220614/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/features/fiveminute-memoir-lindsey-davis-on-life-with-her-brand-new-eye-7618940.html |archive-date=14 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|access-date=17 August 2012|newspaper=[[The Independent]]|date=7 April 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Lindsey's Page: Organ Donor Card Appeal |url=http://www.lindseydavis.co.uk/lindseyspage.htm |publisher=The Official Website of Lindsey Davis |access-date=17 August 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120911103325/http://www.lindseydavis.co.uk/lindseyspage.htm |archive-date=11 September 2012 }}</ref>