Indie Author Life: One Year On

It has been a whole year today since I first sent my little book out into the world. When I published, Thrive, I did it for myself, with very few expectations in the way of sales, reviews or reach. It is a small book with a small readership written with the simple hope that it [...]

#WriteUpJuly – Week 3

It’s time for my (slightly delayed) week 3 round up of the #writeupjuly challenge I’m taking part in a over on Instagram, hosted by the lovely Emily Morgan of Write Up. The challenge – #writeupjuly – gives writers the chance to introduce themselves and their current works in progress to the Instagram writing community (which, by the way, is just [...]

The Singing Ache – #mundanemiracle

I’m so thrilled to have the opportunity to partner with Tarcher Perigee to help promote Tyler Knott Gregson's latest book Miracle In The Mundane. I have loved Tyler’s work since I first stumbled across his iconic typewriter series and was incredibly excited for the release of his latest work. Miracle In The Mundane offers something [...]

Dear Books…

Dear Books, How long is it now that we've been friends? I lose track - too many years to count. You were there before I even really understood you. Before I could read your words and decipher your tales for myself. Before I could even determine which way your pages turned or which part of [...]

Try. Try. Try. Try.- #mundanemiracle

I’m so thrilled to have the opportunity to partner with Tarcher Perigee to help promote Tyler Knott Gregson's latest book Miracle In The Mundane. I have loved Tyler’s work since I first stumbled across his iconic typewriter series and was incredibly excited for the release of his latest work. Miracle In The Mundane offers something [...]

Wild & Improbable Tales – Which Way Up?

All it took was one step, one sip, one tumble down the rabbit hole, one big shrink spurt for everything to change. It always struck me as strange that a nonsense world could make so much sense. Even the vicious queen in her house of cards is not so bad as she seems - after [...]

Unconventional Wisdom

Yesterday, I had the great pleasure of attending TEDxManchester. It was a fascinating, inspiring day and my brain is still mulling over all the interesting ideas that were presented. Eventually - when I've had time to fully digest the day - I will write a post sharing some of my favourite ideas and take-aways. As [...]

The Power Of Storytelling

I wrote this post for ECBC Manchester in celebration of National Storytelling Week. This is shortened version of the original: if you'd like to read the whole thing, you can do so here. The history of humankind is inextricably tied up with that of storytelling. From the earliest cave paintings, through the development of signed [...]

A Life’s Made Of Hope…

“Yes, the night has dark bits, but it has stars too, And you’ll feel when they shine, That they shine just for you, You will step outside and see from the park, That the light is brighter when it’s next to the dark. You will have so many great times ahead, And soft happy dreams [...]

Wild & Improbable Tales – A Ghost Of Warmth

At first, it looks like a room full of people. With a languorous certainty, they circulate, moving like the inexorable grace of a glacier, the entrancing dance of the fire. And then you notice something strange: there are no heads, no hands, no legs. They are a sea of jumpers and sweaters, moving as though [...]