author, journalist, presenter and public speaker
Despite regularly having to write a “bio”, I find the process a bit self-promoting and awkward. With that said, so as to protect me from your judgement, please continue to read on for a list of my achievements. All of these can be explored on the pages of this website.
recovery
I’ll start with my proudest accomplishment to date: on 22nd April 2014 I got clean and sober from a cocaine and alcohol addiction that almost stole every good thing from my life. I was in Paris at the time and with the help of supportive friends, a local church and support group meetings, I turned my life around.
writing
Having previously done copywriting for the marketing team at a restaurant group, I moved back to London to hone my writing skills and trained as a journalist. I went straight from the pressure of the NCTJ shorthand exams (the nightmares still haunt me) to the pressure of a busy newsroom, working for two years as a digital features writer for national tabloids. Later I went freelance and wrote for: Vogue, Huffington Post, Marie Claire, Red Magazine, Mail Online, The Star, Premier Christianity, Woman Alive, Church Times, Sober Girl Society, The Good News and others. I also head up the digital opinion page for Premier’s women’s magazine Woman Alive.
public speaking
In 2018 I gave a TEDx Talk about my personal story of addiction and recovery which now has almost 400k views. I continue to do public speaking about addiction and recovery, speaking for corporate events, charities, schools and churches.
book
During 2020’s lockdown I had a book commissioned by publishers SPCK. Notes on Love: Being Single and Dating in a Marriage Obsessed Church, is out now. I’ve done plenty of podcasts, interviews and TV appearances to promote it. I also host The Good Pod Guide, a podcast designed to help you discover your next great listen without trawling through hours of content. Plus I’ve ghost written a best selling book, but you know I can’t tell you any more about that.
what else?
I’m also the proud owner of a Blue Peter badge and have a grade four ice-skating. I feel I should reward anyone who has bothered to read this right to the end with a nugget of new information that you can’t find anywhere else. So, I will take the opportunity to confess that I brush my teeth with warm water. I like it better, it’s like a hug in my mouth and I think everyone should do it too.
If you want to discuss my work or offer a rebuttal on my argument for warm-water teeth brushing, use the contact page to drop me a line.
ariadne social
Through Ariadne Consultants, I offer social media consultancy for authors and have had the pleasure of working on the launch of a couple of amazing books.