Author/Artist
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photo credit Frederic Landes
Hello and welcome to my website.
This is the best place to find out about me, my books, artwork and teaching.
I am an author of books for adults and children. My writing has been translated into German, Greek, Italian and Ukrainian. My picture book, Boundless Sky, was nominated for The CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medal, and my YA novel, Looking for Lucie. was listed for the Searchlight Writing Novel Opening Award. A graduate of Chelsea School of Art, my writing and artwork are inspired by travel, textiles, and the natural world. I hold an MA in Writing the Visual and lectures in Art & Design and have also led workshops in Creative Writing at the National Centre for Writing. I live in Norfolk, UK, with my family, including a cat called Heathcliff!
My writing includes flash fiction, short stories, picture books and novels. I explore themes of home and belonging, and enjoy using the juxtaposition of rural and city life. My characters are often artists or scientists, as their curiosity about the world around them are two sides to the same coin, and the exploration of art and science can give us meaning and purpose in life with its infinite avenues of discovery. My debut YA novel, Looking for Lucie, Neem Tree Press 2024, explores the above. It is a contemporary story of identity, self-discovery, and newfound friendship. Lucie, an 18-year-old art student sets out to uncover her ethnic heritage and family history with her new scientist friend Nav. Together they unravel family secrets.
I believe in the power of stories as a window on the world, and a mirror to better see ourselves and am passionate about stories which are empowering and inclusive. When not writing I can be found swimming in the North Sea or running in the countryside, and that is when I get some of my best ideas!
Where writing and art meet...
Working on a textile installation which included
words about Anglo Indian textile journeys.
commissioned by the Bergh Apton Sculpture Trail.
words about Anglo Indian textile journeys.
commissioned by the Bergh Apton Sculpture Trail.
Writing Residency
Stories of Cities, Cities of Stories virtual residents. I was selected for the National Centre for Writing and Jakarta UNESCO City of Literature virtual residency exchange in April-May 2023 for children’s writers and illustrators to reflect on their own creative practice and learn more about the ecosystem for children’s books in each city.
Together with illustrator, Hsuan Pai, we have created a picture book, Rainbow Round the Park, which is currently seeking global publication.
You can view the full text and images for Rainbow Round the Park here.
Stories of Cities, Cities of Stories virtual residents. I was selected for the National Centre for Writing and Jakarta UNESCO City of Literature virtual residency exchange in April-May 2023 for children’s writers and illustrators to reflect on their own creative practice and learn more about the ecosystem for children’s books in each city.
Together with illustrator, Hsuan Pai, we have created a picture book, Rainbow Round the Park, which is currently seeking global publication.
You can view the full text and images for Rainbow Round the Park here.
