I have to be honest with you, I wasn’t looking forward to writing the “about me” section on the website. There felt like a lot of pressure, as an author, to make a good first impression, in words. As a writer, I try to put a little piece of me into everything I create. So, rather than attempt to entertain you with a biography, I thought I’d let my books do the talking…

I’ll start with the first book I wrote when I was about eight: my own version of The Jolly Postman, complete with its own little bits of post. I loved this series because it was full of little messages. I feel so lucky that I now get to create books as a career. Today, I enjoy filling my books with messages hidden within the text (I’m yet to publish a book with actual pop-outs – watch this space!).

My debut picture book, I am NOT a Prince is a twisted fairy tale which has a message close to my heart: always be proud to be yourself. Growing up Black-British mixed race, I didn’t see myself reflected in the characters of the books I read. I often felt stereotyped by my race and my gender – and sometimes still do! I’m delighted I have the chance to be part of the industry-wide movement to create more inclusive books that reflect our wonderfully diverse society.

It was my mum that taught me to always be myself and never be afraid to follow my dreams. She was my greatest supporter and biggest role model. My mum was a primary school teacher and a yoga teacher, so I was delighted to have the chance to write two phonics books in her memory: Feel Strong with Yoga and How to Fight Fear.

When I was in my early twenties, my mum died of ovarian cancer. I realised how short life was and decided it was time to pursue my dream to be an author. When I had my daughters, I fell back in love with children’s books, both fiction and non-fiction. I knew I wanted to write about subjects I was truly passionate about. When I was a child, I found numbers much easier than words and I ended up studying mathematics at university where I learned about Sophie Germain, The Undercover Mathematician. The thing about maths is, numbers and patterns are everywhere, and if you know how to look, you can see the magic of mathematics in everything you do, from music and sports to board games and debating – even writing. Slowly, I began to realise what I loved about maths was creativity and being an author allows me to share my creativity with readers.

Having grown up in Essex, I now live in Hampshire with my husband and two daughters. When I’m not writing, I can often be found daydreaming, conjuring my next bookish adventure. Some books that I’m publishing aren’t announced yet, but I’ll keep adding to this biography, so check back soon!