Sharing the Good Things (Even When It Feels Awkward)

A new book, a poetry collection, and working with the National Literacy Trust.

Sep 14, 2025

I’ve realised something recently: I find it strangely difficult to write about my own achievements.
I’m not sure why. Maybe it feels a little like showing off, or maybe it’s because I’m usually so focused on making things that I forget to pause and share them.

But there are some genuinely exciting things happening right now, and if I don’t tell you, how will you know to celebrate with me?

A Little Book of Awesome Poems
First up is my new poetry collection, A Little Book of Awesome Poems.
It’s a mix of fun, silly rhymes, and more thoughtful poems about emotions and situations we all face in life. One of the poems, Bored, will be shared this November by the National Literacy Trust to launch their Young Poet Laureate programme across the UK.

I’ll also be working with the Literacy Trust to advocate for poetry and celebrate it in local schools, hoping to inspire some young writers to apply for the laureate role. This is deeply meaningful work for me. Here on the Isle of Wight, literacy rates are lower than the national average; recent data shows that roughly 1 in 4 children leave primary school without reaching the expected level in reading. Poetry, with its rhythm and playfulness, can be a way in, a spark that makes words feel like a friend rather than a hurdle.

Orenda
The second book is something very close to my heart: Orenda, a middle-grade novel I’ve been quietly writing for years.
Set on the Isle of Wight in the 1920s, it begins when a baby is found washed ashore by an isolated old woman. The baby is wrapped in a shawl soaked in the magic of the sea—and turns out to be a selkie. What follows is a bittersweet tale of loyalty, roots, and identity, where the pull of the ocean is as strong as the ties of love.

I am also working on the cover for the book, and bringing Orenda to life in colour has made me fall in love with the story all over again. I am hoping to have it ready for publishing this November.

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