About Me
I’ve always been interested in other people’s lives. That’s why I’m a voracious reader of news, features, novels, autobiographies, diaries – anything I can get my hands on really. I love to get the facts down, and analyse how and why things happen. But I’m also very creative and love nothing more than sitting in front of a blank screen and bashing out narratives and emotive, evocative thought provoking articles and stories.

So after studying English and Drama at undergraduate level I went on to do an MA in Creative Writing at Bath Spa University in 1998. One dissertation and numerous sleepless nights later, I emerged, ready to write my first novel. But being only 22 – I was lacking in the life experience department. I managed to get a job editing for Waterstones, and met my future husband who persuaded me to go off and explore Japan and Thailand with him.

After two years in the Far East we returned to the UK desperate for money and careers having spent too long teaching English as a second language, and after dabbling with freelance feature writing while working at a university in Bangkok, I decided to train as a journalist. At least I’d be able to earn money from writing…

But first I had to do my apprenticeship, and worked as an editorial assistant at the Independent on Sunday and as an assistant to Janet Street Porter, before enrolling on an NCTJ pre entry certificate in journalism.

I used my contacts at the Independent and started shifting on Sunday for the paper’s Monday edition, but my first proper full-time journalism job was as a reporter for the Watford Observer. That’s where I learned the ropes and covered everything from door knocking and celebrity interviews to court copy and inquests. I then became the paper’s feature writer and after I’d given birth to my baby daughter, I left to freelance for various women’s weekly magazines including Woman, Bella, Best and Woman’s Own.

These days I write news-lead features, emotive real life stories, and pieces on parenting, health and lifestyle for a range of magazines and newspapers. I’m very approachable and full of ideas – so if you’d like to find out more, do get in touch.