Welcome
I am a fiction writer, poet and essayist based in Scotland. I work as a freelance Creative Writing tutor and offer one-to-one creative mentoring – see my teaching page for more information.
My first novel, For Thy Great Pain Have Mercy On My Little Pain, was published by Bloomsbury; it won the Saltire First Book Award and was longlisted for the Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction. The novel explores the lives of two medieval mystics, Julian of Norwich and Margery Kempe, who wrote the first known books in English by women.
My second novel, Each leaf, each curve of stem, about the Victorian art critic John Ruskin, will be published by Bloomsbury in early 2026.
Books
For Thy Great Pain Have Mercy On My Little Pain
In the year of 1413, two women meet for the first time in the city of Norwich.
Margery has left her fourteen children and husband behind to make her journey. Her visions of Christ – which have long alienated her from her family and neighbours, and incurred her husband’s abuse – have placed her in danger with the men of the Church, who have begun to hound her as a heretic.
Julian, an anchoress, has not left Norwich, nor the cell to which she has been confined, for twenty-three years. She has told no one of her own visions – and knows that time is running out for her to do so.
The two women have stories to tell one another. Stories about girlhood, motherhood, sickness, loss, doubt and belief; revelations more powerful than the world is ready to hear. Their meeting will change everything.
Teaching
I work as a freelance creative writing tutor, offering one-to-one mentoring services for writers and manuscript appraisals. I tailor my work to each writer, so whether you’re a beginner looking to get started with creative writing, or are polishing a piece for submission to agents/editors, I’d be delighted to work with you.
I run various 8-week online writing courses including ‘What can a short story do?’ and ‘First Steps in Creative Non-Fiction.’ See my Teaching page for more info and feel free to contact me with any queries or to sign up.
Readings and Media Appearances
Thursday 6th February 2025 19.00-20.30, The British Library: Tales of Time: From Medieval to Modern. I will be discussing my novel, FOR THY GREAT PAIN HAVE MERCY ON MY LITTLE PAIN, alongside Booker-longlisted author Siân Hughes (PEARL). This event is chaired by writer, editor and curator Sarah Chin and will be both an in-person event and available online.
Previously I have read at many book festivals and literary events including the Edinburgh International Book Festival, Wigtown Book Festival, Outwith Festival, Nairn Book & Arts Festival, the National Centre for Writing (Norwich), Edinburgh Writers’ Forum, The Scottish Poetry Library, Topping & Company Bookshop (St Andrews and Ely), Lighthouse Books (Edinburgh), The New College Festival of Books & Belief (University of Edinburgh), The University of Oxford, The University of Dundee, and MTNS MADE Creative Salon in Katoomba, Australia.