Do you want to write a novel?

30 December 2024
I  love a bit of cosy crime on a winter’s afternoon, so thought I’d have a go at writing it myself. Much harder than I thought (isn’t everything with writing?!). But I’m thrilled that my efforts have been published as a short story in yesterday’s Sunday Express magazine. I still get such a buzz seeing my name in print.

1 November 2024

My latest novel is 99p on Kindle in the UK and 1.49AUS in Australia. If you like books about family secrets and mother/ daughter relationships, then this could be the book for you. Download it while you can! 

16 December 2024
I'm always excited to talk books, so when I was invited to talk to CJ and Chris on the Writing Community Chat Show about my writing journey, I jumped at the chance. Especially because it was a Friday evening and a glass of wine was obligatory. These guys are true professionals and their show is always brilliant, so do subscribe: https://bit.ly/4iGgCt6 

30 March  2024

I'm thrilled to announce that I've signed a three-book deal with Lake Union, part of Amazon Publishing. The deal includes a new version of my debut novel The Girl in the Maze which comes out in November 2024 together with a further two books.

1 April 2023

I'm really pleased to announce that I'm  working alongside Dr Mark Slater on The Creative Writing Programme, the leading independent centre for creative writing teaching in the south-east. I finished the two-year course in 2017 and my debut novel The Girl in the Maze was started while on the course so I'm a massive advocate of it and I can't wait to work with Mark and our experienced tutors to develop it further. 

20th May 2022

I'm thrilled to announce that I've bought Kemptown Bookshop in Brighton. The bookshop was founded in 1976 and sells adult and children’s books, premium stationery, a range of gifts and children’s toys and fine art prints. I want to  develop the shop into a community hub with events to engage new and established readers, celebrate local authors and support underrepresented writers. 

8th January 2022

I'm really excited to have the inspiration behind The Girl in the Maze featured in Prima magazine's January issue. The article explores the difficult relationship I had with my Mum Hilda which ultimately led to me writing my debut novel. 

There are also some lovely pictures of my Mum and I which I found while researching the novel. 

25th  November 2021

Almost a year since I signed the publishing deal with the lovely folk at Agora Books, my debut novel The Girl in the Maze is out in paperback. Having a physical book in my hands makes it feel very real at last. It’s a story of three women, generations apart, linked by a terrible tragedy. You can order it from your local independent bookshop or at any of these outlets.  And you can read about the inspiration behind the story on my blog. There's also a blog about  my long journey to publication. 

Audiobook is out on 2nd December. 

21st  November 2021

I've opened a mini library outside my house in Hove, East Sussex  to celebrate this week's publication  of The Girl in the Maze. It contains some of my favourite books and hand-me-downs from my  three teenage children. And of course a copy of The Girl in the Maze. I'm  hoping that the local community will get behind the project and both borrow books and donate ones they’ve already read.

18th November 2021

To celebrate Paperback Publication Day next Thursday,  I’m giving away two FREE signed copies of The Girl in the Maze  each with a beautiful bookmark and a handy Maze tote bag. 

To enter, simply subscribe to my blog. Deadline is midnight GMT 24/11/21. A winner will be chosen at random. 

8th November 2021

Last week's launch of my debut novel The Girl in the Maze raised £244 for Book Aid International,  the  charity which sends books to libraries, schools, universities, refugee camps, hospitals and prisons around the world.

More than 40 people came to the event, held in Clerkenwell, London, and grabbed a sneak preview copy of the paperback version of The Girl in the Maze, as well as free tote bags and bookmarks. 

28th October 2021

Five years after starting it, and 35 years after I said I wanted to write a book when I was a grown-up, my debut novel  is out in eBook today . It’s a story of three women, generations apart, linked by a terrible tragedy. Download it here . You can read about my long journey to publication on my blog. 

Paperback on its way on 25th November 2021. 

17th March 2025

I'm thrilled to have been asked to talk to the British-Chinese author Xiaolu Gho about her latest book, Call Me Ishmaelle – Moby-Dick reimagined from the perspective of a cross-dressed female sailor – at this year's Brighton Festival

Join me on Friday 9th May 2025. Buy your ticket here. 

7th October 2021 

I'm very excited to have been featured as an inspirational woman by We Are The City, the network and website for professional women  started in 2008 by Vanessa Vallely. The interview covers not just the launch of my debut novel The Girl in the Maze later this month but also my day job as founder and chairman of the communications consultancy Magenta Associates. 

You can read the WeAre The City interview here

26th September 2021

I was so excited to be interviewed by Hannah, the Dorset Book Detective, on her blog  recently. We talked  about how I came to create my debut novel and what’s next for my writing career.

By day Hannah is  a corporate copywriter, by night she's a forager for books and poems. A book detective- from Bridport in Dorset!

Thanks Hannah for taking the time to chat. 

9th September 2021

I'm thrilled to be in the October issue of Writing Magazine talking about how I got my publishing deal, what it was like writing The Girl in the Maze and what my next book is all about. 

The issue is out now.  Thank you to Adrian Magson for setting up the interview. 

If you don't already subscribe to Writing Magazine, then it's definitely worth a read. Lots of top writing tips, interviews with authors, and list of competitions you can enter. Happy reading! 

7th August 2021

I'm so very excited to reveal the cover of my debut novel The Girl in the Maze. I absolutely love the claustrophobic feeling that the brilliant illustrator Micaela Alcaino created. 

The proof copy landed on my doormat yesterday which was brilliant moment,  It's one step closer to publication. 

You can pre-order the book here. 

8th March 2021

Just had my first author interview! The lovely Vince Stevenson from Boomers on Books chatted to me about my debut novel  The Girl in the Maze  which comes out in October this year. 

It was brilliant to talk to Vince about my journey to publication, the inspiration behind the book and what's next in my writing journey . Listen to the recording here and you can pre-order the book here. 

8th January 2021

I'm thrilled to announce that I've been signed up by Agora Books! They'll be publishing The Girl in the Maze  in October this year. 

Agora is part of Peters Fraser + Dunlop, one of the longest established literary and talent agencies in London. They are a digital first publisher with a diverse list of fiction including esteemed author Jeanette Winterson. 

Traversing four generations of women torn apart by familial trauma, The Girl in the Maze explores the complex relationship and challenges involved in both mothering and being mothered. 

I'm looking forward to working with the Agora team to bring The Girl in the Maze to market.  

18th December 2020

Exciting news to end the year!  The Girl in the Maze has been longlisted for this year’s Grindstone Literary International Novel Prize. Out of more than 800 entries, the novel was selected for a longlist of 24 unpublished novels.  The judges said: "To make it to the longlist is a big achievement and speaks volumes about your work. We have no doubt that each and every one of you will find success in the future."  

In the feedback on The Girl in the Maze, they said: "Your work exhibited an original and well-defined concept which served as a solid bedrock upon which the story was built. You showed innovation and unconventional thinking, presented new ideas, or variations on existing ideas, creating a strong sense of originality and believability. There was no doubt as to the effort placed in the creation of your conceptual backdrop, and it worked to the benefit of the plot and characters. Well done."

2nd December 2020

With lockdown 2 almost at an end, I'm thrilled to find The Girl in the Maze  on the Flash500 Novel Opening award longlist.

The judge's feedback was incredibly positive. "I was completely swept away by this," they said of the book's prologue. "It moved me, shocked me and, ultimately, made me want to cry. I was completely under your spell," they said.  

Hopefully this is another step on the road to getting The Girl in the Maze published! .  

30th September 2020

I’m so super excited to announce that The Girl in the Maze has won this year’s Lost the Plot Work in Progress prize. I literally cried when I found out it had won! This book has been part of me since my parents died five years ago, and I’m so thrilled that the judges loved it. 

The inspiration for The Girl in the Maze came when I was clearing out my late mother’s house. I didn’t discover anything which helped to explain our difficult relationship (and the one that she’d had with her own mother too) although I wish I had. But writing the story was a form of therapy in itself. 

I’m really hoping that winning this prize will bring me a step closer to getting The Girl in the Maze published. 

Thank you Agora and the wonderful judges. 

15th September 

The lovely people from Agora Books announced the shortlist today for the Lost the Plot Work in Progress prize and I’m on it – along with four others. Super excited! 

I found out when I was on a Zoom board meeting and squealed quite a bit – our MD wondered what was happening until I got my breath back and could explain. 

This is such an amazing honour. I’ve never entered a writing prize before, so to be shortlisted for my first one is a huge privilege.  

Thank you Agora and the wonderful judges. 

1st September 2020

Back in June 2020, just as lockdown was starting to ease and I was finishing the second draft of my novel, my brilliant editor Rosie Chard suggested I enter The Girl in the Maze for the Agora Books Lost the Plot Work in Progress prize. I sent it off and then forgot all about it. But today I got the email to say that I’d made the longlist. 

This is the first independent recognition that my writing is readable and, even enjoyable! My husband and a couple of friends have read The Girl in the Maze and said they loved it, but they’re not going to say it was awful, are they? 

Even more excitingly it gives me something else to put on my letters to agents – an added reason for them to read further and not just press ‘delete’. 

Thank you Agora Books!