About me

The story so far

I’m a freelance writer and researcher, passionate about the interconnections between people and the rest of nature. I’m currently based in the north of England but grew up in Wales and spend a lot of time in Scotland.

Writing has been central to my life for as long as I can remember. As an only child in a dysfunctional family, I spent hours alone in my room creating epics for an assembled cast of soft-toy animals, and later, as a teenager, writing poetry while staring out of my window at distant hills.

I first earned my living as a writer in Sudan, working on an English-language magazine and filing stories for The Guardian and the BBC. After a decade in journalism, much of it as a correspondent overseas, I segued into communications work in international aid and development, writing press releases, feature articles, briefing papers and campaign materials.

A turning point came in Mozambique, where I was collecting personal stories at the end of a brutal civil war, while my six-year-old son back home was unwell. I struggled with the unquestioned privilege that enabled me to interview desperate mothers of very sick children, knowing how I would feel if our roles were reversed.

So I transferred my writing skills to the UK environment and heritage sector, working for a Welsh national park followed by freelance writing and consultancy. This began a lasting immersion in the “more than human” world of nature and landscape, which has become intrinsic to my writing.

I signed up for a Masters degree to improve my research skills for consultancy work, little thinking that it would lead to 15 years in academia. I enjoyed first-hand research, supporting students individually, and leading groups on overseas field trips. But I was never a good fit in a university department. I quit in 2025 to resume freelance work and to focus on the kind of writing I really want to do.