Though I've  always been a writer, I've worked as a postman, mill labourer, nursing auxiliary, gardener, dairy operative and teacher in schools, FE colleges and prisons. Later, when teaching at Lancaster University, I established the Centre for Transcultural Writing and Research, creating links between the UK and other countries.

​My first collection of poems, A Country on Fire, won a major Eric Gregory Award. I've been awarded the  Bridport Prize for short fiction and the Edge Hill Prize for my first book of stories, Touch, as well as winning prizes in a number of poetry and short fiction competitions.

​International literature development projects include the British Council-funded Crossing Borders and Radiophonics programmes, which helped to create opportunities in writing, publication and broadcasting for African Writers in Uganda, Ghana, Malawi, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa and Zimbabwe.
 
I helped to design and implement Many Women, Many Words, a project in Kurdistan that recorded the experiences of older women who survived Saddam Hussein's campaign of genocide against the Kurds. I was awarded a Leverhulme International Fellowship to develop the Taking Liberties project in South Africa, which explored notions of personal, cultural and political freedom. Visit CTWR to follow links to those projects.

I've been fortunate to work on many writing and arts projects throughout the UK, tutoring on Arvon Foundation and Taliesin Trust courses. My writing residencies, include the Aldeburgh Poetry Festival, the Times Educational Supplement and the Creative Scientist project in Shropshire schools.  I’ve performed my work across the UK, in South Africa, Uganda, Vietnam and China. 

Available for readings and workshops at literary festivals and other events. Email me on the link below for availability.