So, this is me...

I’m a novelist and I write dark historical fiction.

My debut novel, The Crimson Ribbon, was published in 2014 and my second, The Silvered Heart, in 2015. My third novel, The Coffin Path, became an Amazon bestseller, was nominated for the HWA Gold Crown Award and is now in development for TV.

In the last ten years I’ve worked as a magazine editor, a writing tutor at Sheffield and Manchester universities, co-founder of an international writing programme for historical fiction authors, and a teacher and mentor for hundreds of writers. I'm a qualified coach, accredited by The Coaching Academy. In 2018 I was awarded a prestigious Fulbright Scholar Award and spent a year living and working in New Orleans while researching my next novel.

I live and write in West Yorkshire, in an eighteenth-century cottage on the edge of the moors, with a view right out of a Brontë novel.

All sounds pretty good, right?

It wasn’t always like that.

So, this is me...

I’m a novelist and I write dark historical fiction.

My debut novel, The Crimson Ribbon, was published in 2014 and my second, The Silvered Heart, in 2015. My third novel, The Coffin Path, became an Amazon bestseller, was nominated for the HWA Gold Crown Award and is now in development for TV.

In the last ten years I’ve worked as a magazine editor, a writing tutor at Sheffield and Manchester universities, co-founder of an international writing programme for historical fiction authors, and a teacher and mentor for hundreds of writers. I'm a qualified coach, accredited by The Coaching Academy. In 2018 I was awarded a prestigious Fulbright Scholar Award and spent a year living and working in New Orleans while researching my next novel.

I live and write in West Yorkshire, in an eighteenth-century cottage on the edge of the moors, with a view right out of a Brontë novel.

All sounds pretty good, right?

It wasn’t always like that.

Let me tell you a secret...

I always wanted to be a writer, but I spent years believing it was an impossible dream. I had no idea how to start, or if I'd be any good. It felt so huge, overwhelming and scary that I didn't even try.

I failed before I’d even begun.

I was ashamed of what felt like the deepest, most heartfelt dream I had. So, I buried it, even from myself.

Fast forward and I’m now a novelist with three books published by a major publisher and more on the way. I’ve won competitions and awards, had Amazon bestsellers and my work is in development for film and TV. It really is beyond anything I imagined was possible back then.

What changed? Well, me.

Once I owned my 'big dream', I found the determination and support I needed to get there, step-by-step.

Along the way I've learned so much about writing and creativity and the ways in which we hold ourselves back. From the beginner writer facing a blank page, to bestselling novelists with years of experience, we all face challenges that can make us want to give up.

Thing is, being a happy, productive and published writer is about so much more than putting words on the page.

I could paint a pretty picture, but it wouldn't be the truth.

It takes constant dedication and a whole load of passion and belief in our ideas — something that so many of us find hard.

It takes learning how to build writing habits that stick, how to be our own best cheerleaders, and how to champion our work with passion and persistence.

But you don’t have to do it alone. If you're ready to take your writing seriously, I'd love to support you.

Find out how here, or book a free 30 minute call where we'll explore the ways you can turn your writing dreams into your writing reality.