Ros Jay

Ros had been a writer for many years - on a variety of subjects, from business to parenting to mythology - when she and her late husband, fellow writer Richard Craze, launched White Ladder Press. A small and by admission, quirky publishing company, White Ladder offers practical lifestyle books with a broad appeal and a quirky angle.

White Ladder's mission statement says: We want to teach old dogs new tricks, by presenting a new angle on everyday living. We want to intrigue, entertain and be useful at the same time. And we want to use our mainstream business to benefit good causes, so we'll do that too. We'll have fun or there's no point being in business, and we'll give fun to everyone else around us - our customers, our partners, our suppliers... even our postman.
We're proud of being a small, independent publisher as it enables us to publish a select few high quality books which we really care about. Of course, we're not the only small publishing company that's big on quality."

Launched its first title in 2003, WL publishes 15 or so books a year now. In 2007, Ros decided to sell White Ladder Press to concentrate on her own writing and spend more time with her family.

Many of Ros' own books are on management and business topics; other regular subjects include parenting, gardens, mythology and cats.

Ros' own words from her publishing company's website tell a little of her story...

"I started my career as a stage manager in the theatre for several years before switching - not entirely logically - to PR. I worked as a PR manager and then a freelance writer, writing anything I could get paid to write such as press releases, sales brochures, annual reports, corporate newsletters and training manuals. This led on to writing books.

"I have written over 60 books on a range of subjects, the principle being that if you can write well, you can write about anything; the research is easy. Many of my books are on management and business topics (as Ros Jay); other regular subjects include parenting, gardens, mythology and cats.

"I have two names - Roni Jay and Ros Jay - an arrangement I deeply regret and for which I can offer no really satisfactory explanation."