I grew up in Warwickshire and now live in South London with my husband, children, dog, cat and stick insects. My first novel, Everything Happens for a Reason, was published in 2021 and praised for its mix of humour, honesty and raw emotion. My second book, Happy is the One, will be published in January 2025.

I write fiction with autobiographical elements, and I hope to touch on experiences that many of us grapple with. My upcoming novel, Happy is the One, draws on the challenges of caring for a sick parent and coming to terms with childhood losses.

My first novel drew on my experience of stillbirth - a topic I hope to bring out of the shadows. Our son, Finn, was stillborn in 2010, and my grief and the experience of being on maternity leave without a baby inspired my main character in Everything Happens for a Reason. And yes, as with my character, someone did say to me “Everything happens for a reason”, driving me to distraction but ultimately fuelling this novel.

I used to be a reporter and columnist at the Guardian and Observer, and started my career as a Reuters correspondent in Berlin and London.

When I'm not writing or walking children and dogs, I love baking, watching comedies, reading news and wishing I had written other people’s brilliant novels. I also love quiz shows and forcing friends to do quizzes and I waste hours meandering on the web - but I put that to some use by appearing on the TV show Pointless with my brother Nic.

I love books by A M Homes, Michael Frayn, Siri Hustvedt, Sarah Winman, Maria Semple and George Orwell. I don’t think I will ever get tired of re-watching The West Wing, The Blues Brothers or Back to the Future.

If you like ginger cats and/or vain dogs you can follow me and my pets on Instagram (monkey_and_miko)