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about liz

I grew up in Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, UK, and moved back here when I had children, so my family could grow up in this beautiful landscape too.

As you can see in the photos above, I’ve loved cats, dogs - and most animals! - since I was very small. For a while, we fostered cats and kittens, and got to know all their different personalities and needs. Now we have a young collie, so we had to press pause on the fostering. However, my own cat Arya still offers me writerly support by sprawling on my desk.

I completed my PhD in Creative Writing in 2017, and now divide my time between writing and teaching - sometimes in universities and sometimes online. I also love doing school visits and talking to young people about creativity. To find out more about a school visit or to book me for your school, please contact me directly by filling the form here, or alternatively please contact Authors Aloud by clicking here. 

For a few years, I ran Lumb Bank, The Ted Hughes Arvon Centre. This fantastic job meant supporting a fresh batch of writers every week, hosting literary evenings, talking books, making meals, and juggling all the unpredictable and varied tasks that come with managing an historic building. Witnessing the transformations that so often happen during an Arvon week was a real joy.

Before that I lived in London and Brighton, and worked in children’s book publishing for many years. I still do some editing and mentoring of other writers, and find it so satisfying to see a creative project taking shape. 

Sometimes it feels as if I've had many different jobs and roles. But being passionate about reading, writing and children's books has been a constant thread throughout it all... 

I’m now challenging myself by stepping outside of children’s literature for the first time, and writing a novel aimed at adults. However, it is still very much rooted in the local landscape I love, and I can’t wait to share more information about it soon!