Putting Pride Into My Work
Putting Pride Into My Work As June draws to an end, I felt like this would be a good opportunity to reflect on what Pride means to me in 2026; specifically, what ‘putting Pride into my work’ means. I’ve blogged before about celebrating my intersectionality through fiction. That post still stands up. In fact, it […]
What Crime Dramas Get Wrong About Police Investigations
What Crime Dramas Get Wrong About Police Investigations I love crime dramas. I also spend a lot of my life shouting at the television whilst watching them. Whether it’s Line of Duty, Happy Valley or Broadchurch, crime dramas have given us some fantastic storytelling over the years. As a crime writer, former child protection social […]
The Moment I Realised I Wanted to Write a Book…
The Moment I Realised I Wanted to Write a Book… I’d love to say there was one particular moment when I realised I wanted to write a book. The truth is, it wasn’t a moment – it was an accumulation. By the time I sat down to write Care & Control, I’d been a police […]
Louis’ Trick or Treat
Louis’ Trick or Treat Louis’ Trick or Treat – a Halloween-themed short story with a touch of spooky romance involving the characters from Care & Control and The Voodoo Room. ****** Louis paused on Luke’s doorstep and adjusted his black skeleton costume. The Halloween party was in full swing on the other side of the […]
The Link Between Voodoo and Child Protection
The Link Between Voodoo and Child Protection What’s the link between voodoo and child protection? What does one have to do with the other? More than you think! What happens when belief becomes control? When a person’s spiritual beliefs are weaponised in order to manipulate them? These questions are the golden thread of The Voodoo […]
Creating My Detective Louis Mortimer
Creating my detective Louis Mortimer Detectives aren’t made, they’re grown. That was the starting point for creating my detective Louis Mortimer, the protagonist in my crime fiction series (Care & Control and The Voodoo Room). Louis has occupied space in my head for the last decade, a bundle of energy and feelings, sometimes male, sometimes […]
Comparison is the Thief of Joy
Comparison is the Thief of Joy A while back, Tom (Trax Gym/ Krav Maga instructor) gifted me a keyring with the slogan ‘Comparison is the Thief of Joy’. This resonated with me for a few different reasons, not least because of where I was with writing ‘The Voodoo Room’. In my first draft of this […]
“Happy New Year, Ar$3h0l3s!”
After the wonderful response from the #CareandControl Christmas vignette, I decided to do a cheeky vignette involving Connor and his fellow residents from Robin Hill Children’s Home. Happy New Year, wonderful people! ****** Connor lay on his bed, staring at his phone. It was fifteen minutes to midnight on New Year’s Eve. The two night […]
Christmas in the City – A Tale of Cops, Coffee and a Naughty Santa Claus
Welcome to my final blog-post of 2024! It’s a bit of silliness for a change. My writing of late has taken me to some very dark places, so this little (non-canonical) vignette has provided some much-needed levity. Underlying the fun is recognition and gratitude to my colleagues and the wider Blue Light Family who will […]
Authenticity vs Autobiography – Celebrating My Intersectionality Through Fiction
Welcome to my first blog-post of December! I’ve wanted to spend a bit of time exploring some of the questions posed in my recent interview with LTU’s Prof. Jonathan Jackson in more detail. Last week, I wrote a bit about my family’s influence on my journey as an author. This week, I want to explore […]