About Me
I’ve been writing stories and plays since I was a kid and I used to lie on the hearthrug and write with a smudgy pen and do all the pictures myself in felt tip, before stapling all the pages together (but hopefully not to the rug). Fortunately, Troubador Publishing knows much better ways of putting a book together and in March 2011 they published my first book, which is The Alien in the Garage and Other Stories, a book of short stories for children. I have now published thirteen books for children and they have been honoured with a win at the Georgina Hawtrey-Woore Awards and have been longlisted for the inaugural Bath Children's Novel Award and the International Rubery Book Award, Highly Commended for the Independent Author Book Award and nominated for the People's Book Prize. My first novel for adults, a murder mystery called Death At Friar's Inn, was published in 2022.
The Alien in the Garage and Other Stories (2011)
The (Fairly) Magic Show and Other Stories (2012)
The Dinner Club and Other Stories (2013)
Childish Spirits (2014)
The Spirit of London (2015)
The Sword of the Spirit (2016)
High Spirits (2017)
The Coming of the Spirits (2018)
My Favourite People (2018)
Childish Spirits - eBook (2019)
Childish Spirits - audiobook (2019)
The Treasure in the Tower (2020)
The Dinner Club and other Spirits novels - eBooks (2021)
Carrots Don't Grow On Trees! (2021)
Death At Friar's Inn - eBook (2022)
Sunflowers and Nightingales - contributor (2022)
The Boy Who Disappeared and Other Stories (2023)
Searchlight Awards Anthology Volume II - contributor (2023)
The Teacher Who Knew Too Much (2024)
Childish Spirits - 10th anniversary special edition (2024)
The Fighting Spirit (2025)
My first ever published work was an article for a local magazine for the disabled (I’m a wheelchair user) when I was fifteen, and my first broadcast work was for Chain Gang and Newsjack on BBC Radio 4 Extra. In 2016 and 2017 I was a judge for the IGGY and Litro Young Writers' Prize. I am a patron of the Children's Media Foundation. In 2019 my one-act stage comedy Mr Everyone was listed for the Alfred Bradley and Kenneth Branagh Awards. During lockdown I was Children's Writer in Residence at the Stay at Home Literary Festival, and held online school workshops as part of Liverpool Writes. My first novel for adults, a murder mystery called Death At Friar's Inn, was published in 2022.
In 2024, my Spirits series celebrates its tenth anniversary with a new, special edition of Childish Spirits. I give author workshops in schools and libraries and these were recently honoured with a nomination for Fearless Freelancer at the Northern Cultural Education Awards.
What else about me? I studied Law at university and I’ve worked in offices and done voluntary work in schools, including storytelling and helping kids with their reading. I offer author workshops - see free brochure on the Home page for details. I have a Certificate and a Master of Arts degree in Creative Writing from Lancaster University. I live in Wirral, Merseyside and my hobbies include reading, quiz nights (as a competitor or hosting), doing magic tricks (quite badly), playing the odd bit of keyboard (worse), theatre, TV and going out with friends.
Contact Me
Email me at: wordsmithrk@hotmail.co.uk
Get in touch via my publisher. For marketing enquiries contact Jonathan White:
Troubador Publishing, Unit E2, Airfield Business Park, Harrison Road, Market Harborough, Leics LE16 7UL
Tel. 0116 279 2299 www.troubador.co.uk
My author workshops were nominated for the Fearless Freelancer Award at the 2024 Northern Cultural Education Awards
‘Guess What?’ (new short story for children) shortlisted for the Searchlight Best Short Story for Children Award
Mr Everyone (30-minute stage comedy) listed for the Alfred Bradley and Kenneth Branagh Drama Awards. Get in touch for theatre rights!
High Spirits, Winner in YA category, Georgina Hawtrey- Woore Award 2018
The Spirit of London, Highly Commended for the Independent Author Book Award 2016
Childish Spirits has been longlisted for the Bath Children's Novel Award and the WriteMentor Children's Novel Award
The Dinner Club and Other Stories has been longlisted for the International Rubery Book Award
