Irene Mossop

Irene Swatridge, née Irene Maude Mossop (6 December 1904 in Woking, Surrey, England – 26 October 1988 in England) was a British writer of over 175 children's and romance novels, under her married name and under the pseudonyms of Jan Tempeste, Fay Chandos, and Virginia Storm. She also wrote in collaboration with her husband Charles John Swatridge (1896–1964) under the pseudonym Theresa Charles, and after his death under his pseudonym Leslie Lance.

Born Irene Maude Mossop on 6 December 1904 in Woking, Surrey, England, UK, she was the elder child of Maude Binford Eyre and Robert Mossop, a solicitor, later they had one son. She was educated privately.

Mossop started writing very young, and after her father death, she started to publishing as Irene Mossop Girl School's novels. In 1934, she married ex-RAF officer Charles John Swatridge (1896–1964), they moved to a Devon farm, where she continued writing. After her marriage, she started to write gothic and romance novels, first as Jan Tempest and later as Fay Chandos. In collaboration with her husband, she published as Theresa Charles, years later, her husband published some novels as Leslie Lance, and after his death she continued using the pseudonym.

In the 1950s, Mossop had serious discussions with Alan Boon of Mills & Boon about her novel Without A Honeymoon when she introduced the idea of an illegitimate child, that he felt she would encounter difficulties with the Irish audience.

Mossop died on 26 October 1988.