I began writing climate fiction in 2007, when I realised how little the average person knew about climate change, let alone took it seriously. Fiction about climate change was relegated to fantasy or the science fiction shelves. Most people now realise that climate change is real, and it's caused by our over-use of fossil fuels.

Often I write realist fiction, as in my novel The Wilder Path (to be published May 2025). Sometimes I write more speculatively, as in my novella Aerth (being published January 2025), but it's usually grounded in a reality we all recognise.

So it could be said that I write 'climate fiction', or 'cli-fi', but I believe, along with many other writers, that all fiction needs to address the twin emergencies of climate breakdown and ecological destruction in some way, whether overtly or more subtly, in the background of the story - otherwise it becomes a kind of fantasy, unrelated to our fast-changing and extremely vulnerable world.

Margaret Atwood says we shouldn't be talking about 'climate change' anyway - it's 'everything change'. And she's right. A changing world climate influences absolutely everything.

About Me

I mainly write fiction, plus occasional articles. I write about relationships of all kinds, and especially about our relationship with nature. I also write about climate change, in novels, novellas and stories.

My short stories and flash fictions have been published by small presses, both online and in print, and have also won prizes. A flash fiction, or flash, is generally under 1,000 words, while a short story is longer.

My novels and novellas have reached the long lists and short lists of international competitions. Long lists include the Mslexia Prize (2015), the Eludia Award (2020), the Bath Novella-in-Flash Award (2018, 2019). Shortlists include the Siskiyou Prize for New Environmental Literature (2018), the Yeovil Prize (2019), the Sandy River Novella Award (2020).

In 2017 I founded Bristol Climate Writers, a local network of writers of all genres, from poets to travel writers, novelists to journalists. I am a member of ClimateCultures, an extraordinary world-wide network of artists and scientists. You can see some of my short essays here.

I am also available for talks, for example on different types of climate writing or how to write climate flash. If you are interested, please enquire via the contact form.

Also about me...

I have many interests, including music, history, books, gardening, health, faith, spirituality, and other cultures. So don't be surprised if you occasionally find a story or blog post about something totally unrelated to climate or nature!

I also spend time volunteering for a faith-based environmental charity, Green Christian, of which I am a trustee.