What's that, Maverick? Staring into the abyss, crushed by FOMO for missing Harrogate while the whole world, even your primary school teacher, seems to be there. Oh, and it's Monday. You'll be fine - first world problems. I have 2 wks off and I'm going to attempt a novella. #pennilesswriter #cat

Pray there please have mercy, my lady! I need your help! Pre orders are massive for less well known writers, so I humbly and quite openly beg for you to consider using the offer link in my bio (there are 3- pick the promo) to pre order my new novel to be released in November !!! #thelasthandmaid

Signed 1500 copies of Poor Girls at Bloomsbury near 2 years ago and I’m still buzzing. Indie bookshops are the heartbeat of the book world, they hand‑sell with love, champion the strange and the bold, and keep books alive in every corner of the country. #PoorGirls #IndieBookshops #Bloomsbury

#thelasthandmaid thanks to @coffee_books_and_pjs for reading an early proof of THE LAST HANDMAID - out Nov 2026!!! #shescoming “You do not need to drink blood to devour someone; you can drain them from within, spirit and soul.” #gothicfiction #countessbathory #historicalcrime

No one and I mean no one! Loves the sun more than this Abyssinian. #thriving #abyssinian #cat

She's coming!!! Ever had this experience : you know exactly who is coming by the way their key turns the lock in the door? The dread. The anticipation. The thrill? That's what serving the countess is like #thelasthandmaid #proof #gothicsuspense #bathory #thecountess

Serve, steal or starve - ah! what choices! On reflection not much has changed from the 1920s has it!? #poorgirlsbook Did I mention The Forty Elephants ladies are still on the shortlist for the #adventurewritingprize ? In some awe inspiring company too #alicediamond #thefortyelephants #poorgirls

As seen in Waterstones in Hull. Thanks to @phil.clubley for the guerrilla face up promotional tactics. A gothic story about a woman who thinks she may have married #jacktheripper (and you think your partner is bad!) #peopleofabandonedcharacter #gothicfiction #victorian #london #jacktheripper

She's coming... ready or not! THE LAST HANDMAID, will be out November 2026. Early proofs are out! As modelled here by the gorgeous @cathryn_kemp (loving the nails!) #thelasthandmaid #gothic #crime “You do not need to drink blood to devour someone; you can drain them from within, spirit and soul.”

I swear, that ball. He would have me throw it until I actually expired. He doesn't realise how old he is! (and me). Proofs are going out for book 4 to a select chosen few! I'm very excited! #writing #books #gothicfiction #novella #comingsoon #summer

Its that time of year again! Flipping Susannah and Dr Shivershev get to go to sunny destinations and rub it in my face!!! #peopleofabandonedcharacter #jacktheripper #victorianlondon #gothiccrime #historical Thanks to @phoenixsham for this one! Its just not fair! she whines!

Had a strangely emotional and hilarious day at the What Women Write event run by Artful Scribe #Southampton. Thanks to Bridget, Adeola and Joanna for hosting -sorry if I've missed anyone! Please do more! It was amazing. Here's to being loud and taking up space! #artfulscribe #whatwomenwrite

This is exactly how I feel about Monday also, Maverick. Look at his angry face ! Its all too much! #happymonday #mondayvibes #cats

I missed the anniversary of the paperback of #PoorGirls being published! So here it is. Though this the hardback so it doesn't really work - but this is what I have! Oh er... did I mention its on the shortlist for the Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize ?!?! #adventurewritingprize #poorgirls

Absolutely thrilled! Poor Girls made the shortlist for the Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize 2026!! I cannot believe it! Good luck to all the shortlisted authors! #AdventureWriting #AdventureWritingPrize #poorgirlsbook #thefortyelephants @the_bookphotographer Images © The Book Photographer

How a dog is the perfect writing companion? José forces me to take breaks for his walks (perfect for fixing plot twists) and offers non judgemental company (heavy on the non judgement). Sometimes we just sit and stare out at the water like old people on a porch! #dogs #hamble #blacklab #labrador

Attended the launch of Hunger & Thirst by Claire Fuller at The Arc in Winchester as part of Winchester book festival. Randomly ended up sat beside Claire's old next door neighbour from when she was a sculptress. #hunger&thirst #clairefuller #winchesterbookfestival #winchester #bookevent

What a stack! Well I like it. All my books in one tidy pile, I think I'm mostly excited by how tidy this is! #peopleofabandonedcharacter #thegoneandtheforgotten #poorgirls #crimefiction #books #criminalwomen

Two of my books in Waterstones in Aviemore! A place I love too in Scotland. Thanks to @murph_cc for sending this on! Happy Monday. #peopleofabandonedcharacter #thegoneandtheforgotten #crimefiction #books #aviemore #scotland

Last week as I was lurking and bothering Heidi Perks! (she didn't run away screaming it was ok). I stumbled across this fine book - invaluable #research when I was working on #PoorGirls. #brianmcdonald #aliceandthefortyelephants

I still like to ruin books with my signature - you never know I might be big when I'm dead (or go on a crime rampage!) #peopleofabandonedcharacter #jacktheripper #victorian #gothic #amwriting #books #amwritingcrime

Last night I had the pleasure of waiting in line to get a signed copy of #itendshere the latest book by Heidi Perks - I lurked and bothered her afterwards! Was a great event at #Waterstones in #Whiteley @waterstoneswhiteley @heidiperks_author @jade.tuesday #crimefiction #bookevent

A reminder that this #peopleofabandonedcharacter is on promotion on kindle. Susannah is a nurse working at the London Hospital in the 1880s when she meets a surgeon who offers a better life and a big dose of pedestal treatment - and she falls for it. #kindle #jacktheripper #neglect

José is pleased when I have copyedits as I go dark on society and become a track-suited hermit and that means treats, walks and snuggles on the sofa. Copyedits for book 4 nearly done! #amwriting #books #hampshirewriter #dogs #labrador #blacklabrador

What better way to recover post Easter bank holiday - than losing yourself in a gothic crime story! People of Abandoned Character is on promo on kindle - #kindle #promotion #gothicfiction #gothiccrime #jacktheripper #whitechapel #crimefiction #peopleofabandonedcharacter Tks to @bookboundbutterfly

Susannah is still going! I'm very proud of #peopleofabandonedcharacter and I loved Susannah who was wonderfully conflicted and flawed - like a real person! I have been slow writing & reading of late, but I'm desperate to read something punches me in the face. #gothiccrime #jacktheripper #writing

Good morning Tuesday. I do actually mix with other people (humans) its just that I like this person best! #dog #labrador #blacklab #writersfriend I've never written a chapter by chapter outline before - its hard. it feels like writing a script treatment a bit! #outline #chapters #amwriting #books

Spot the labraseal! I am currently working up a chapter by chapter outline for book 5. I've not done this is much detail before but I really want to get this right. But if this one doesn't come off I have others! #dogs #writerslife #amwriting #gothiccrime #crimefiction #darkstories #labrador

I love to see my books out in the world! I can't wait to get back out travelling about as much as flipping Susannah from #peopleofabandonedcharacter does! Thanks to @phoenixsham for this one! #gothicfiction #victorianlondon #jacktheripper

It'll be March very soon! The sun is trying to get out! Hang on in there! Hope is an act of rebellion! Here's a picture of the best boy! #labrador #hope