Biography

I often wrote Poems for family and friends’ weddings, birthdays, and even funerals. My older sister encouraged me to publish them, but some research made me realise that poetry books rarely sell well. In 2012, after a life-changing 100-mile trek across The Southern Upland Way in the Scottish Borders, I came up with my first novel, The Path. It took me six years to finally finish publishing it in 2018.

There is a saying that everybody has one book to write, and that was supposed to be mine. After some lovely feedback and positive reviews, I decided to do a follow-up called Deadwater. From then on, I seemed to get a small but loyal cult following who encouraged me to keep writing. Each time I finish a new book, I feel it may be my last; who knows? I can only say that writing has proven to be a journey with many twists and turns, just like my books, just like life.

I was born in England and lived in Wales and Northern Ireland before finally landing in Bonnie, Scotland, at the impressionable age of eight. You could call me multicultural but in a homely sort of way. My stories tend to be based in Scotland, a country I deeply love. Travel does make the heart grow fonder, so I will occasionally take you to other dark and distant lands.

Reading has always been one of my great passions. I love books that build up a gothic atmosphere of foreboding, the first half of Dracula by Bram Stoker being a classic example. In my opinion, a good book should always have an unexpected finale. I will never forget reading Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier and how the twist turned the whole story on its head. And yet, my favourite book is The Long Weekend by Charles Jackson. It doesn’t have a twist at the end; it is simply about an alcoholic and what he gets up to over a few days. Maybe this proves that there are only two kinds of books: the kind you dislike or enjoy. If you have taken a chance with my writing, I hope it is the latter for you.