** Latest project **
My book for 6-7 year olds Mega Merle and the Underground Adventure has just been published by Oxford University Press as part of their new reading scheme. It’s about a very lovable, pudgy-cheeked hamster who has to turn into a superhero and save the day whenever the nasty Gerbilator tries to carry out one of her dastardly plans.
I’m a writer specialising in children’s fiction and comedy.
My Golden Ticket, published by Wonderbly. Artwork by Adam Hancher.
I was the main writer for My Golden Ticket, a personalised book giving each child their own adventure in Willy Wonka's chocolate factory (for kids aged 5-12). It's published by tech start-up Wonderbly in partnership with the Roald Dahl Estate, and each book is personalised in some really fun and surprising ways according to the name of the child recipient. I wrote the first draft and developed the story with the rest of the creative team. It was an absolute blast to play in Roald Dahl's world (including making up new types of sweets!) and it was rewarding to work within the technical limitations of a personalised book. The book won FutureBook Children’s Book of the Year 2017.
I've also written for fiction packager Working Partners and for Think Equal, a charity that uses stories to teach empathy.
Fiction met copywriting in the text I wrote for this dog-walking company in Kensington who wanted their website written entirely from the point of view of a dog. Such a fun project.
I’ve read submissions for a major literary agency and have advised BookTrust on their Great Books Guide for schools. I also ran #ukmgchat, a popular discussion on Twitter about books for c.8-12 year olds.
My poetry for adults has been published in Obsessed With Pipework, Scintilla, Crossways and Communion Arts Journal, shortlisted in the Café Writers Open Poetry Competition and longlisted in the Fish Publishing Competition. You can read two of my poems here.