General

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!

Well, I think it’s fair to say I’ve been fairly hopeless at writing these monthly wrap-ups. The idea was to post one at the end of every month, but I can see the last time I actually did that was in April!

However, lots has been happening behind the scenes so here’s the September wrap-up (and an optimistic but vague ambition to keep them coming more frequently!)

The Mirrordom Legends

The final books

I submitted the last two novels in The Mirrordom Legends series to my publishers at Fire and Ice YA. If they are accepted, the series will finally be complete and I have no plans to write any further about the world of Mirrordom – although you never know! The next two books are entitled Flame and Phoenix and Quiver and Arrow – and take the series down an even darker path. I’ll announce any further updates on the blog.

City and Shadow

City and Shadow made it to the Bookstagram Awards finals in the Fantasy Of The Year category! While it didn’t win, I was just thrilled it was nominated and want to say a big thank you to everyone who voted for it. Of all the Mirrordom books, I am proudest of this one and I’m so glad quite a few people have enjoyed reading it.

City and Shadow also went on tour with Love Book Tours this month. It was so interesting to hear readers’ opinions. Some of my favourite comments are:

This was a great read, I think it was a really interesting and enjoyable story. I thought the writing style was great and there were some fab plot twists, and I wasn’t expecting that ending.

The overall premise of the book is brilliant and really pulls you right in. I really enjoyed this book.

This book had me in actual tears!! it was dramatic and poetic and deeply satisfying!

I absolutely loved the idea of people in this world being born as a twin, with one being born inherently “good” and not able to lie, kill, steal etc, and their Mirror twin being born immediately afterwards and being “only capable of doing bad things” and where all Mirrors are removed from their families after birth, and sent to live on a remote island. It was such a unique and intriguing concept, so I was instantly hooked right from the start, and it did not disappoint!

I loved how the author created characters which are morally grey, and throughout their self exploration we get to see them challenge the restraints of their ‘black and white world’.

A Wild Run anthology

I was delighted to contribute a short story to this glorious anthology. My standalone fantasy story is called The Girl With The Heart Of Glass and you can read more about what inspired it here.

A Wild Run is a gorgeous anthology, showcasing the full range of human creativity in a world increasingly complacent about AI. The concept came from author, Melanie Mar, who gave us all one single prompt.

New deal announcement

In September, I also signed another contract with Evernight Teen for my YA standalone sci-fi novel, The Boy With Wings For Hands. The book will be out no later than September 2026 and I can’t wait to share it with you. In the meantime, 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.

Evernight Teen also published my first YA sci-fi novel, January. Why not give it a read while you’re waiting for The Boy With Wings For Hands?

What have you been up to this month? I’d love to hear about it in the comments.

Want to snag two of my books at a bargain price – and help a worthy cause? Now you can.

Venom and Blaze and Fable and Legend are currently both on sale for less than .99p. It’s all part of the Indie Visible Charity Week sale.

The special event is being run by Hayley Anderton to raise money and awareness for Brain Tumour Research UK. Any processes Hayley makes from the event will go right to the charity. Hayley has also put together a gorgeous anthology book called Life In Colour. (I didn’t contribute to this as the theme was all things bright and colourful and, if you’ve been on the blog for more than a minute, you’ll realise I write dark stories!)

There will also be some incredible giveaways (I am contributing to this!) – so keep your eye out for that.

In the meantime, head over to the Indie Visible website and make the most of our epic sale prices.

As April comes to an end, I thought it would be a nice chance to talk about what’s happened this month. I don’t (yet) have a newsletter (and I’m not sure if I ever will), so this seems like a good place to post what I would put in a newsletter if I had one.

January came out in paperback

My first-ever YA sci-fi novel, January, came out in paperback. My author copies are on the way, so I’ll be bringing those to the various events I’ll be attending this year. You can also use the contact form and purchase a signed copy from me directly.

Bewitched Blooms came out in paperbacks

The extremely limited-edition paperbacks of Bewitched Blooms, our fundraiser anthology were released. Because so many authors contributed, the decision was made to split these into two paperbacks.

Omen and Myth, my story, is in Volume One. I’m still pinching myself that I get to say I was in an anthology with Briar Boleyn!

City and Shadow edits are nearly complete

Along with my lovely editor, Angelique, I have been getting City and Shadow ready for publication this summer! I’m very excited to share the third in the series with you. City and Shadow goes in an even darker direction than its two predecessors – so be prepared!

Venom and Blaze is a best seller!

I already blogged about this, but I was very excited that Kindle edition of Venom and Blaze made it to 55 in the pithily titled Teen & Young Adult Science Fiction and Dystopian Romance eBook section of Amazon. I don’t control what categories the books end up in, but it seems to be doing quite well there!

Current work in progress:

I’m writing a sequel to my fantasy novel set on the Isle of Skye. It’s set in a futuristic world and, though it features many real places, they’re quite different in my story to how they are in real life! Portree Harbour, on the Isle of Skye, is pictured above – the image shows a lovely April sunset about pretty coloured houses and is possibly somewhere my characters may end up visiting.

I’m planning to write a trilogy and I’ve just introduced a new and rather nasty villain who is making my protagonists’ lives quite difficult. Once all three are written, I’ll try to find a home for them – so watch this space (but don’t hold your breath!)

Learning as I go…

I also attended a free workshop entitled Five Things You Can Do Today To Boost Your Readership. The workshop was run by Helen Lewis of LiterallyPR and is available to view on YouTube. Keep an eye out on LiterallyPR’s channels for more free education – it was definitely worth attending.

Books I’ve read and loved

The Hive by Anna February

Chicken House Books were kind enough to give me a proof copy of this – and it’s brilliant! The book is out now and I highly recommend it.

It’s a futuristic dystopian novel, set in a society inspired by bees. Here’s the blurb:

Justice is merciless in the Hive, a monarchy of tomorrow, where young bodyguard Feldspar awaits execution, guilty of being alive when her charge is dead.

The girl has one defender – Niko, a royal maverick. Together they have three days to prove the impossible.

Three days to question everything Feldspar knows about the world that raised her and discover who the real murderer is . . .

Over to you…

What has been the highlight of this month for you? What books do you recommend I read? Let me know in the comments.

There’s something special about a signed, personalised book, knowing the author has thought about you when they were autographing it. If I see you in person, at an event or book signing, I’ll be thrilled to sign a book for you. But did you know you can order a signed copy, directly from me?

Snag signed copies

All you need to do is use the contact form. Just let me know:

• how many you want
• if you want them personalised or made out to a particular person

Which books are available to order?

You can order signed copies of Venom and Blaze and Fable and Legend. City and Shadow will be out this summer and the paperback copy of January will be released soon too.

So, whether you’re wanting to treat yourself or gift one to a friend, just let me know.