‘This is what a sense of disquietude can contribute to an author’s writing: your work can become a ghost in a reader’s mind long after they’ve turned the last page.’

‘What’s special about poetry is that because it’s such an unrestricted form, with so many permutations, every word and every line can be an opportunity for surprise.’

‘Creating podcast episodes – from preparing questions to designing the structure to editing – helps develop skills in structuring content and pacing a story.’

‘I am a big believer in there being no hard rules to writing; at the end of the day, writing is art, and art has no limits. If you want to write enemies to lovers, go for it! Turn the trope on its head? Amazing. Or, you can do away with them all together.’

‘Most readers are after compelling stories and interesting characters. The exploration of human experience is a never-ending source of fascination, and story is the great laboratory for articulating this experience.’

‘As an unpublished author, it is hard to hear people say ‘keep going’ (and I hear this ALL the time!!). But if you stop writing, then that’s inevitable failure. And if you keep going, there’s more chance of success.’

‘I don’t write books with the intent of sending a message – if you write a great story there will be themes and ideas that shine through naturally.’

‘Readers want to be swept away. They want characters (like the overly familiar tuk-tuk driver who may or may not have kidnapped you), details (what did that fermented yak milk taste like?), and above all a story. With tension. And humour. And possibly mild digestive distress.’

‘I think that commercial fiction authors are some of the most talented, imaginative writers working today.’