General

I’m delighted to announce a second collaboration with the very talented KatArt.

This time, I commissioned her to bring Hunter and Vesper, the two main characters from my upcoming YA dark romantasy series, The Ruined Skye Trilogy.

Kat’s work is phenomenal, complemented by her total professionalism. I never have to guess what’s happening – Kat keeps me updated every step of the way.

I can’t wait to reveal the whole piece. And you don’t have to wait to see it. My Street Team have already seen it – and you could too.

As well as getting a first look at any character art, you’ll also unlock the first chapter of Forgotten Skye. Tap below to apply for the Street Team and join a breath-taking new world.

February, for me, always feels more of a fresh start than January. Unlike its predecessor, February does not last for 356 million days, the days are longer than ever and there’s the faint feeling that, maybe, we’ve left the dark and cold behind for another year.

The Boy With Wings For Hands took flight

My standalone YA sci-fi novel, The Boy With Wings For Hands, came out on 27 February with Evernight Teen.

Only the Kindle version is available now, with the paperback to follow shortly.

Here’s the blurb:

Seventeen-year-old Sparrow has never known freedom. An alien from the planet Mykzon, she’s caged and forced to perform in Obsidian’s Travelling Show of Rarities and Fascinations.

That is, until Felix crashes into her world. He’s human, reckless and has wings where his hands should be. And when Felix’s arrival attracts powerful enemies, Sparrow’s world is thrown into chaos.

As Sparrow is drawn into a rebellion she never asked for, she must choose between staying hidden or risking everything to fight back.

Because Obsidian doesn’t just want the spotlight.

She wants the world.

Ready to dive into a world of aliens and intrigue? Snag yours now.

Back to Mirrordom

I received the first round of edits for Flame and Phoenix back from my amazing publishers. Unfortunately, I’ve been riddled with germs ever since and even putting on a fitted sheet proved to be too complicated for my meagre remaining wits. Today was actually the first day I felt well enough to tackle writing and trust it might make some semblance of sense.

I’m now at the stage where I’m getting excited about it, which is always a good sign. I’m still overwhelmed by how well-received The Mirrordom Legends has been and I want to make sure everyone who has read the first three books receives the best possible fourth book that I can create.

One of my favourite things about this book is the complete absence of romance. Flame and Phoenix have a relationship that’s more like siblings than anything else. I enjoyed this because it felt more realistic; just because you have two people the same age suddenly crossing paths doesn’t automatically mean they’ll be a good fit for each other – and I wanted my book to reflect that. However, what the characters lack in romance, they make up for in banter.

The majority of Flame and Phoenix is set on Mirror Island. This gave me the chance to answer a lot of (my own) questions about the culture there. And questions like “Why don’t the Mirrors just swim off the island?” “What happens if two Mirrors have a child?” “Do they have their own set of laws?” “What about a religion?” And also one question from a particularly eagle-eyed reader: “Why, on page 12 of Venom and Blaze do you describe Venom’s mother as having navy eyes when only the Mirrors have navy eyes?”

Good question. And it gets answered.

Brace yourselves. It’s going to be a bumpy (penultimate) ride back into Mirrordom.

Here’s the blurb:

In a world where everyone is Good—unable to steal, lie and kill—Flame always believed she was the same. But her world shatters the day she discovers she’s capable of killing. Now, she knows two things. The people who raised her have deceived her. And that her real parents are out there somewhere.

Flame sets out to uncover the truth of her origin, and find the family she was never meant to know. She crosses paths with Phoenix, a Mirror boy determined to avenge his mother’s murder.

As Flame and Phoenix search for answers, they soon learn that some secrets are meant to stay buried…

Visiting the Isle of Skye’s newest bookshop

I wrote a whole blog post about the brand-new and shiny Waystone Books in Dunvegan on the Isle of Skye.

Deceptively small from the outside, once you get inside, the shop is a treasure trove. Packed to the brim with books and yet, somehow, not feeling at all cramped. I’d definitely recommend giving it a visit next time you’re in the area.

Discovering Ruby Roberts

I’m proud to say I listened to Maisie Peters before she became a household name. I liked LYRA before New Heights namechecked her. And I discovered Ruby Roberts, who I’m certain will go on to do (even more) amazing things.

Her ethereal voice and dreamy style feels like Lana Del Rey meets Pink Floyd – a magnetic combination. Ruby’s debut EP has just come out and I’m already excited to see what she does next.

How was your February? Are you keeping to your New Year’s Resolutions, if you made any? Leave a comment to let me know.

The team behind Waystone Books reeled me in long before I set foot in the shop. I’d followed their journey on social media, watching in admiration as they renovated what was previously a cake shop.

Yesterday, I paid the Waystone Books a visit and was immediately hit with the reassuring smell of new books (markedly different from the reassuring smell of old books, but both equally relaxing in my opinion).

Waystone Books has an incredibly welcoming feel to it. Quirky items, sprinkled among the wall-to-wall books, add intrigue. I was very impressed with the amount of different book genres, including YA. The team also had a wall dedicated to books they recommend, accompanied by typed notes on what they liked.

Dunvegan is on the Isle of Skye (and it features heavily in my upcoming dark YA romantasy series), so it’s always nice to explore the village and try and imagine what my characters make of it. I love the fact it now has its very own bookshop – especially one run by a team who are determined to give back to their local community and plan fun events.

And, of course, I came home with a new book.

I read Graeme MacRae Burnet’s other book, His Bloody Project, and loved it – so bought this purely on the fact that it was written by him (and, having a quick flick through the opening page) seemed at first glance to be roughly along the same lines. I’ll have to wait until I can dive in as I’m doing my #IndieReads2026 challenge.

Have you any plans to visit the Isle of Skye? What’s your favourite bookshop that you’ve ever been in? Leave a comment and let me know.

Kicking off the new year with a new reading challenge – what could be more fun?

#IndieReads2026

I’ve started a new reading challenge for this year – all about indie books.

#IndieReads2026 is my way of slowing down, paying attention and celebrating stories that might otherwise slip past us. There’s also a points system and the person with the most points at the end of the year wins a prize.

Everyone’s welcome to join in – just click the link below and join my Instagram group chat so I can keep track of your reads and add up your points.

Venom and Blaze character art

My Street Team saw it first – but this gorgeous depiction of Venom and Blaze came out in January. The ultra-talented Abeer Malik worked on it all winter and I’m so impressed by the finished piece. Every time I look, I see a new detail!

(Psst. Want to be first to hear the latest news and see character art? Join my Street Team.)

The Boy With Wings For Hands

When I was on one of the indie author panels at YALC, a member of the audience asked us all what our goals were and what was on our To-Do List.

I had two: finish editing The Boy With Wings For Hands (I’d just had my first round of edits back and my wonderful editor had picked out a zillion plot holes that I needed to sort out. It was exactly the feedback I needed – but I knew I had my work cut out to make the book the best it can be.)

After months of hard work (and tireless patience from Jesterbell Editing), I can confirm this book is the best it can be. You’ll be able to judge for yourself very soon.

The Ruined Skye trilogy

Second on my list was finishing up my Ruined Skye trilogy.

Maybe it’s the fact that YALC is in November (my least favourite month). Or maybe it was that I’d just finished the second book in the trilogy, told myself it was terrible then put it aside and never looked at it again. Whatever the reason, my enthusiasm and energy were running low.

Until this month. I edited Book Two and realised it wasn’t the ghastly pile of dross I’d remembered. In fact, I quite liked it.

I’m doing something a little bit different with these two books. Where my other series, The Mirrordom Legends, was written completely chaotically (Book Three was written first. Book One was written second. Book Two was written third. Book Five was written fourth. And, obviously, Book Four was written fifth.), I’m working on the final two books in the Ruined Skye trilogy side by side. Tweaking Book Two while writing Book Three. Almost treating them as one giant story, just split into two. And I’m loving it.

I’m currently 20,000 words into the last book and it’s all I can think about. I love the characters and their journeys. I also want the third book to end the series in a way that completely satisfies. My characters, and readers, deserve nothing but the best.

Forgotten Skye, the first in the trilogy, is out this year.

Out of all the books I’ve written, Forgotten Skye is one of my favourites. I’m so proud of the story and the characters – and, best of all, many of the places where the action takes place are real. (Note to self: do a full blog post about that closer to the book’s release.)

How has your year started? Let me know all about it in the comments.

I’ve always made New Year’s Resolutions from a young age.

To me, the start of a new year is the time when I measure my growth and any achievements. I always look at the previous year’s resolutions, to see if I kept them or to ask what prevented me from meeting my goals.

And, of course, it’s the time when I decide what I want from the next year. What areas do I want to grow in? What do I want to get out of another year of life? What do I want to focus on over the next 365 days?

To me, New Year’s Resolutions aren’t always a vow to give up eating chocolate or to be nicer to other people (though those are worthwhile goals!) They’re a way of helping me focus my attention.

So what am I aiming for in 2026?

I try to mix up my resolutions between things I can control and things I can’t completely.

Complete my Ruined Skye trilogy

Forgotten Skye has found a home with Evernight Teen. Burning Skye is complete and ready to be edited. And the final book in the trilogy needs to be written. I’m currently just under 6,000 words with a basic plot idea – but my goal for 2026 is to finish that book and submit it and its elder sister to Evernight.

I am so proud of this trilogy and can’t wait for you to read it. Forgotten Skye will be out in Summer 2026.

Find an agent

Ah, the elusive, lesser spotted agent. I’m not sure how much control I have over the success of this resolution, but I’ll keep querying until I either get signed or die.

See all The Mirrordom Legends books published

If all goes to plan, 2026 will be the year that my series, The Mirrordom Legends, is published. I’m so thankful to my publisher, Fire and Ice, for helping me bring this series to life.

Flame and Phoenix and Quiver and Arrow are both due out in 2026. I’m especially proud of Quiver and Arrow – to me, it’s the most satisfying conclusion to the series I could imagine. It’s also the darkest and most brutal book yet, so make of that what you will.

Grow my Street Team

Oh, here’s one you can help me with!

Return to YALC

YALC 2025 was phenomenal for me. I sold out of books for the first time and learned a lot. Also, it’s the one day of the year I get to meet up with my lovely friend, Marie Voinson. Together, we emerge from our introverted shells and do our best to resemble normal human beings*.

Treat my authoring as a business, not a hobby

I am fortunate enough to have a day job that funds my authoring – but advice from Helen Lewis of LiterallyPR made me decide to take this more seriously. Not that I don’t take it seriously – I absolutely do – but as less of an art and more as a business.

As a creative, I find the two don’t really go hand in hand. I write books because I can’t not write books and it’s forever a surprise and delight when A. they sell, B. other people say they enjoy them. This is not the mindset to bring into 2026 with me, so it’s staying behind in 2025.

Do you bother with New Year Resolutions?

*Marie does this much better than I do. But come and have a laugh as I struggle to remember how to vocalise basic sentences.

[Insert some deeply insightful and completely original insights on the past year, without resorting to platitudes like “2025, what a year it’s been” and “Grateful for every moment of 2025.” Even though it has and I am.]

Joking aside, it’s hard to know what to say about a recap of the past year that doesn’t involve some trite cliché. So let’s just get straight into the facts and figures that nobody asked for.

2025 book releases

2025 saw three of my book babies emerge into the world. The latest two installments of my series, The Mirrordom Legends, and my standalone novel, January.

I had the honour of contributing to two very different anthologies this year. Bewitched Blooms was put together by New York Times bestseller, Briar Boleyn, as a fundraising anthology.

A Wild Run was imagined by Melanie Mar, whose vision to showcase human creativity over AI inspired incredible stories. I’m still very proud of my contribution, The Girl With The Glass Heart.

The story I wrote for Bewitched Blooms came off Kindle Unlimited in September, and I went on to release it exclusively for my Street Team members.

Here’s the blurb:

In a world where no one can steal, lie or kill, Myth can do all three.

She has spent her life hiding from those who would banish her. But when she discovers a letter from the father she never knew, Myth escapes into the outside world. Alongside her reluctant twin, Omen, and a trio of strangers with secrets of their own, Myth plunges headfirst into adventure. But not everyone can be trusted. When Myth’s life is on the line, is discovering where she belongs worth the price of betrayal?

Works in progress

I wrote five novels in 2025. I feel I’ve learned so much about the craft of writing this year and I hope that shows in my work. I’ve written two Middle Grade novels, two YA novels and one adult psychological thriller. Even if none of them are ever released, everything I write is practice for future work.

Author appearances

I’ve made appearances at two events this year – one on the Isle of Skye and one in London.

YALC is the literary highlight of my year and I’m forever grateful I took the plunge in 2024 to leave my comfort zone far behind.

Let’s make a deal

I’ve made five deals with two publishers for 2026.

• Flame and Phoenix
• Quiver and Arrow
• Forgotten Skye
• Funeral For A Robot
• The Boy With Wings For Hands

I can’t wait for you to read the stories.

Not all work and no play

It’s not all been writing, though…

She’s been my number one artist on Spotify for as long as I can remember!

Like many other millennials, I’ve suddenly discovered the deep joy of gardening. I’m fortunate enough to have inherited a ready-made garden. I see myself as its caretaker, duty-bound to maintain the work and leave a lovely space for the next generation. This year, I’ve grown:

• sunflowers (highly successful outdoors, not successful at all in the polytunnel)
• green beans (do not recommend. Lots of leaf, little bean and the beans that did appear were nasty)
• squash
• lettuce
• sweet peas (highly successful)
• carrots (lots of top, very little carrot)
• parsnips (not tried yet)
• strawberries (completely dead)
• sweetcorn (successfully grew leaves, not much else)

I find it relaxing and fulfilling – and it gave me a new appreciation of where my food comes from and how much time and effort goes into growing it!

What’s next for 2026?

I’m running an indie reading challenge. Join me for #IndieReads2026 and let’s discover a world of new characters and adventures.

As many people across the world contemplate what to gift their friends and loved ones, I thought it would be an appropriate time to suggest some presents for the readers in your life.

Books – of course!

If you’re not a reader yourself, however, it can be very hard to buy for your bookish friends. Even if you are a reader, your tastes may not match theirs! I’d recommend a quick squiz at their socials – sometimes people have their Amazon wishlist in their biography and you can use that to surprise them with something they’ll definitely want. Assuming they haven’t helpfully made a wishlist public, their socials may give you something to work with in terms of their tastes and preferred genres.

Books with sprayed edges

If your friend is into books that look pretty, sprayed edges might be the way to go. This means, even if you happen to get them a duplicate title they already have, the aesthetics will speak for themselves.

When I was at YALC in 2024, I caught up with the amazing creatives at Kingdom Book Designs and Perfectly Edged. The work that goes into making these custom designs was phenomenal. I also bought a gorgeous copy of a book from Victoria Alyssa – I can’t even begin to describe how pretty her work is.

I also treated myself to the final installment in Vanessa Len’s Only A Monster trilogy. It’s currently winging its way to me from Fairyloot. They also do subscriptions, potentially a very lovely gift for your reader friends.

Book-related accessories

These don’t need to be as obvious as bookmarks (though bookmarks do tend to be a good shout and you can get some gorgeous custom bookmarks on Etsy). It could be something that makes reading more comfortable – like a heated blanket to snuggle up in or a cushion to cuddle up with.

If you know your friend has a favourite series, could you get them some related merchandise? Perhaps a T-shirt or hoodie with their favourite fictional character. Or maybe a keyring or customised water bottle. Check out the author’s website and see if they have a shop integrated into their website – you might be surprised what’s available.

If all else fails…

The first three books in my Mirrordom Legends series are available to order now. They’re the perfect gift for the dark and twisted reader in your life. (Just be sure to check the trigger warnings before gifting it to your friend – they’re not suitable for arachnophobes and contains violence, childhood trauma and death.)

Whatever you plan to get your friends, let me know in the comments.

Mentally, I’m still at YALC. Physically, I’m at home working through edits of my upcoming YA sci-fi novel.

It’s hard to believe YALC 2025 was TWO WEEKS AGO. All is not lost, though, as I’m already planning for next year’s convention. And juggling lots of other exciting projects. Here’s what’s going on at the moment.

Join my Street Team

YALC 2025 was officially the day my Street Team was born! Street Team members receive exclusive first looks at the character art and cover reveals. They might get the chance to input on character names. And they’ll definitely be first in line for ARCs and the latest news.

If you dare to join us, you’re more than welcome.

Stuff your Kindle

I’m participating in my very first Stuff Your Kindle event (kicking off today!). Typically, these events involve free or discounted books available to download to your Kindle as part of a team effort. So I’ve included Venom and Blaze.

The event runs from 28-30 November and you can check it out below.

The Boy With Wings For Hands

I’m currently editing The Boy With Wings For Hands, my upcoming YA sci-fi novel. It’s due out with Evernight Teen (release date yet to be announced). If you want to be first to see the cover reveal and get access to ARCs, click on the link above to join my Street Team.

I’m working with an amazing editor at Jesterbell Editing, who really goes above and beyond to make my work shine.

Seventeen-year-old Sparrow has never known freedom. An alien from the planet Mykzon, she’s caged and forced to perform in Obsidian’s Travelling Show of Rarities and Fascinations.

That is, until Felix crashes into her world. He’s human, reckless and has wings where his hands should be. And when Felix’s arrival attracts powerful enemies, Sparrow’s world is thrown into chaos.

As Sparrow is drawn into a rebellion she never asked for, she must choose between staying hidden or risking everything to fight back.

Because Obsidian doesn’t just want the spotlight.

She wants the world.

The Mirrordom Legends on sale

My first three books in my Mirrordom series are all on sale. The Amazon Kindle versions are either free (Venom and Blaze) or heavily discounted (Fable and Legend, City and Shadow). Grab them while you can!