Biography

I have lived in Nottingham, England most of my life, since I was born there in 1982. In 2000, I was accepted by the University of Oxford to read History, but soon found that something inside me rebelled against such a rarified academic environment and left to return to my hometown. I graduated from the University of Nottingham in 2004 with a degree in English Studies. I hope to return to study at postgraduate level in the near future.

I am fascinated by the relationship between literature and culture, especially in a historical context, and the importance of fiction for representing the human experience. This is partly what inspires me to write. I love all literature from the time of the French Revolution until about 1820, a period of history which I am endlessly fascinated by.

My all time favourite books are Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier, The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen and The Night Watch by Sarah Waters...but I love all books...

I remember writing stories and poems from a very young age. Creating fiction is my outlet for an over-active imagination and a propensity for spending far too much time absorbed in my own thoughts. I firmly believe that a good book is defined by how much a reader enjoys it, over and above any other merits it might have.

When I'm not writing, I am usually to be found reading (any book anyone recommends to me, suggestions welcome...) or listening to music (the louder the better). I also love to travel, especially to the beautiful cities of Europe. I am especially in love with Budapest. From 2005 to 2010 I spent much of my time in Slovenia in central Europe, where I have worked as a private tutor at the same time as attempting to renovate two houses.

Since 2010 I have been permanently back in Nottingham, working mostly as a sales assistant, but working hard to pull together all the threads of inspiration in my mind and create more stories to release into the world!