Every fantasy series begins with a small corner of a much larger world. At the start of Haven Wakes, Steve’s life is firmly rooted in the high tech city of Caercester. The rules of his world are stable, understandable, and largely free of the strange forces that shape fantasy stories. Read more
Fantasy stories are often remembered for the worlds they take us to, their magic systems, and the creatures that exist within their pages. But for me, the main thing that keeps us returning to a series, book after book, is the people we find there and how they respond to Read more
If you’ve just discovered my books and are wondering where to start, you’re in the right place. This post is here to help you get your bearings. You’ll find out what kind of series the Haven Chronicles is, how the books fit together, and whether they’re your kind of read. Read more
Six years ago today, my debut novel Haven Wakes was published by the lovely people at Burning Chair Publishing. After teasing readers about the book launch for weeks, I spent the first day of October 2019 as gleeful and excited as a toddler in a sweet shop, or a ball Read more
When I first started writing the Haven Chronicles, I knew I wanted to create more than just a magical story. I also wanted to set the series in a world that readers would enjoy investigating and be keen to return to. That had to include the physical landscape we find Read more
One of the joys of writing fiction is the characters you meet along the way. I’m not talking about the real-life people you come across, although I’ve met some brilliantly talented and wonderfully helpful bookish folks as a result of writing the Haven Chronicles. No, in this instance, I mean Read more
I’m firmly ensconced in the new year and back at my desk, so I thought it was time to tell you about my plan for 2025. And yes, it’s a writerly one, which I’m sure you were expecting. Here’s what I’ll be getting up to over the next twelve months. Read more
Haven’s Deceit, the third instalment in my YA futuristic fantasy series, was published on 21st November by Burning Chair. There’s something very satisfying about having a trilogy of books out in the big, wide world. Just look at that line-up. Several people have asked if this is the end of Read more
There’s only one week to go – that’s seven sleeps – until Haven’s Deceit is published by Burning Chair on 21st November. This past month has gone by in an exciting blur. My author copies have come in. ARC reader copies have gone out. I’ve been talking about Haven’s Deceit Read more
I’ve always been captivated by doors, staircases, and any kind of threshold. To me, they signify a beginning, the unknown, and taking a chance. They’re the moment when we grip our courage tight and step out into something altogether different. *** “What do we do?” said Steve. “Well, we can’t Read more