The author was born in Northampton and educated at the Notre Dame High School.

While working as a Secretary at the offices of Manfield Shoe factory she met John Paradine-Palmer who was then auditing the companies' accounts. She invited him to the Annual Staff Ball and they were married in 1958, after he had completed his National Service.

They have two sons and four grandchildren. In 1970 they moved to Kettering where Greta ran the retail garage they had bought there. This is now run by their younger son, Nigel and his wife Diane, giving Greta and her husband time to travel extensively.

In 1986 they went to the Far East, and the author fell in love with the life, colour and culture there.

Since 1994 they have been to India many times and she has concentrated on studying elephant regailia in the Indian Sub-Continent. Now that her husband has retired as a director of the Rowlandson Organisation they plan to travel the world and seek yet more information on elephant trappings which has become an abiding interest.

Meanwhile she travels throughout Great Britain giving talks entitled 'Dress to Impress' and is delighted to be asked to undertake this (visit her lecturing web site here).

Her work as an embroiderer and artist reflects her great interest in India, and their regular visits to friends in Rajasthan allow her to continue researching and adding to her knowledge.