By day, wild mannered uni admin. By night I review, edit, read and write, mostly young adult books, but also graphic novels, arts funding applications, academic theses, comedy skits. It’s basically a reason to keep studying.
Why do you do it?
Because I have to. Writing and thinking about writing is an incurable disease. A beautiful, frustrating disease.
What do you love about the city you live in?
Fringe time. It’s the world’s best city from January to March, when the evenings in the Garden Of Unearthly Delights are balmy and there’s music and fairy lights and everyone smiling at each other and wondering aloud why we don’t do this all year long.
Where did you go for your last holiday?
Second hand bookshops.
What's your favourite item of clothing? Why?
*don’tsaymankinidon’tsaymankinidon’tsaymankini* My dad’s black motorbike jacket. It doesn’t quite fit, but when I put it on, I’m wearing history.
What was your favourite TV show when you were a kid?
'The Simpsons'. If nothing else, it taught me that referencing other shows and movies was cultural currency.
If you could travel back in time for a day, where would you go?
Nowhere with butterfly wings. Imagine coming back to find that stupid Flanders controlled everything. No. No, thank you.
If we were coming over to your place, what would you cook for us?
The best onion-free, garlic-free, FODMAP friendly curry you’ve ever had. I’ve become an expert at cooking with only about 20 safe ingredients. I should write a damn cookbook called “Hey! My Tummy Doesn’t Hurt For A Change!”
What's the best lesson you've ever learned?
'Kill Your Darlings'.
Are you happy with your work/ life balance?
No. Writing rarely fits into to either work or life. Maybe it’s time to add a third category: work/ life/ art balance! It would probably end up looking like a man trying to walk a dog and tie a tie on a tightrope. On fire.
How do you define success?
Anything that begins with “We are pleased to inform you …”
What's your spirit animal?
A dog on a skateboard.
