Current Quests
The Shape of the World
Runner-up for the 2019 Write Mentor Children’s Novel Award. Currently a work in progress.
The Ravenscourt Tragedies
A gothic YA webseries featuring magic, murder, and some dangerous secrets. Updates bi-weekly.
Editing and Commissions
Check out my editorial services and let me help you with all your revision and beta-reading needs.
Previously, on The Venture…
September ’22 – Into the Whirlwind
It feels like only a few hours ago that I was posting about celebrating my birthday in Devon. Yet an entire month has passed since then, and I’ve hardly had time to breathe, nevermind write. We started off the month with another bout of Covid — this time it was my partner who went downContinue reading “September ’22 – Into the Whirlwind”
August ’22 – On Waiting
Today is my birthday. As I write this, I’m sitting at a kitchen table in south Devon, celebrating with my partner and his family. August was a month of maybes. Between job uncertainty with my partner, a bout of depression, rising living costs and everything else, I found myself wondering what the future could possiblyContinue reading “August ’22 – On Waiting”
July ’22 – On Purpose
It’s been a whirlwind of a month, July, and I’m going to admit: I’ve been struggling. I’ve been struggling with my health, with my work, with my stories. There were moments, in these past few weeks, where it felt like it was all just too much to deal with. There were days when I wanted toContinue reading “July ’22 – On Purpose”
June ’22 – On Holidays
“Do you even know what a holiday is?” Confession time. I’ve just come back to the UK from a couple weeks in Malta. The Boy and I are hoping to move there soon, and so, even with work deadlines approaching, we decided to fly out and see whether we could sort out our accommodations andContinue reading “June ’22 – On Holidays”
May ’22 – On New Adventures
Believe me, I am still alive… but boy, has it been a while. And it’s been a lot as well, but I suppose that’s the nature of life, to barrel on heedlessly while we cling on for dear life. That said, I’m going to try to keep this blog updated more regularly, but part ofContinue reading “May ’22 – On New Adventures”
December – On Almosts
Dear 2021, It’s been a while. We had such high hopes. Yet here we are, at the end of you, sitting amongst crumples of wrapping paper and the leftovers from Christmas dinner. And really, all I have to say to you right now is: WHAT THE HECK WAS THAT? It’s tempting to blame Covid forContinue reading “December – On Almosts”
August – On Recovery
Covid, second drafts, beach weekends, and more, oh my!
February – Lockdown Updates and Worldbuilding Questions
In the midst of a third lockdown without sight of any sort of relief on the horizon, things have felt a lot more grim lately. I didn’t think that I’d be missing parties and my bookselling job all that much, and yet, here we are, and all I really want is to actually hang outContinue reading “February – Lockdown Updates and Worldbuilding Questions”
Goodbye 2020, and Moving in the Midst of a Pandemic
So, wise children that we are, in the middle of the last lockdown, the boy and I finally enacted our move to Nottingham. It’s been an interesting time getting used to living in a new city while in the midst of lockdown, nevermind tier three, when most everything worth doing is still shut down. Mainly,Continue reading “Goodbye 2020, and Moving in the Midst of a Pandemic”
Salvaging Stories: On the Publication of Like Clockwork
Click Here to read Like Clockwork. Back in 2007, I found myself in a place that was becoming all-too-familiar in the worst possible way. Once again, my mind and body had betayed me, and several weeks removed from the flow of my life was the result. From the barred window of my room in theContinue reading “Salvaging Stories: On the Publication of Like Clockwork”
Rivers of London Award: Getting to Know the Shortlistees
Way back in February, one of my colleagues alerted me to the new Award being organized by Gollancz and Ben Aaronovitch, focused on lifting up the voices of unpublished BAME authors and fostering new talent in the industry. Fast forward to all the craziness of this summer’s pandemic and the announcement of the shortlist, whereContinue reading “Rivers of London Award: Getting to Know the Shortlistees”
News from the Querying Trenches
Friends, I have news. For all of you who haven’t yet seen it through my social media yet, I’m absolutely over the moon. After two years of shaping and revising this book to make it the best it can be, as of two weeks ago, I finally managed a major leap forward. I have aContinue reading “News from the Querying Trenches”
Of Unpublished Novels, Competitions, and Shortlists…
If you’re finishing a novel but not quite sure you’re ready to share it, may I suggest a competition?
That Expat Girl’s Guide to Writing a Novel
A couple weeks ago, I wrote the first post in what I intended to become a series on the editing part of writing a novel. Editing is the place I’m in right now, and I was super excited to share my editing journey with you. But coming back to write the second part of theContinue reading “That Expat Girl’s Guide to Writing a Novel”
That Expat Girl edits a novel | Part I: Editing Goals
If, like me, you currently have a sprawling, vaguely-sensical monstrosity of a first novel draft on your hands, you may very well be wondering what to do with it. Let’s figure it out together.
Of Novels and Webmischief
One of my goals this year has been to get more of my work out there — not necessarily through the traditional publishing route, but on my blog, through medium, and — rather ambitiously — by posting the first novel I ever wrote (under a pen name) free on the web. So if you’re curiousContinue reading “Of Novels and Webmischief”
Goodbye, SIDAS. Goodbye, Slovakia.
Note To Readers: The Next few blog posts are from my Slovakia backlog. I am posting them quite a few months after the fact. At the very beginning of this crazy journey, when I first put in my application for SIDAS Active English weeks, it was part of a larger winter adventure plan designed toContinue reading “Goodbye, SIDAS. Goodbye, Slovakia.”
LEVEL UP! The Birthday Post
In other news, it was my birthday last month, which means that I have managed to survive yet another orbit around our mid-class yellow star. It means that I have advanced a year further in my life, and this, more than anything, demands a moment of reflection: I am now 29.
There’s No Going Home
This week was spent in Vel’ky Meder, a spa town about an hour south of Bratislava. Aside from the obvious perks (yes, we did score free tickets to the spa, which featured a diving pool, outdoor thermal baths that make winter swimming worth it, and, sure enough, a waterslide), our accomodation–a private teacher’s apartment onContinue reading “There’s No Going Home”
Everything I Ever Wanted…
Despite the shaky start to the week, I’m actually somewhat sad to be saying goodbye to Tábor. The week was everything I wanted this job with SIDAS Language School to be: a beautiful Central European town, with history and stunning architecture at every turn; smart, creative, fun kids with a great attitude and wonderful sensesContinue reading “Everything I Ever Wanted…”
Main Quest: SIDAS Active English Weeks
Something you should know about Malta in the winter: it sucks.
Character History
As kids, growing up in Nowhere, Suburbia, USA, me and my friends did a lot of role playing. When the only real thing to do in your town is walk down to the local strip mall to look at video games you can’t afford, you tend to find other ways to escape: you make upContinue reading “Character History”
The Venture 