About

Emily has been making up stories her entire life, and her childhood dream was to become the youngest ever published author.

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This did not happen.

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Instead, Emily went to drama school and worked for eight years as a professional actor. Her career highlight was touring the UK and Ireland with classic novel adaptations, the set in a horse box and a different theatre each night. Roles included Estella in Great Expectations, Anne Elliot in Persuasion and Fantine/Cosette/Eponine in Les Miserables. (She died twice in that one).

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After working as a princess at Hampton Court, and for the National Trust creating experiences for visitors, she decided to scratch the writing itch that had been there for thirty years. In a proper jammy move, the first manuscript she’d managed to finish – The Flood Child – won both the Mslexia Children’s and YA award and the Times Chicken House prize. Renamed The Witchstone Ghosts, it was published by Chicken House in September 2023, and although at 37 she was by far from the youngest author ever published, she was still very happy about it.

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Eerie, gothic and ghosty, The Witchstone Ghosts was the Times Children’s Book of the Week, the Primary School Book Club pick, and longlisted for the Branford Boase award alongside her editor Rachel Leyshon.

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Emily's creepily unsettling second book, The Scream of the Whistle is out with Chicken House on 5th June 2025.

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She’s a proud ADHD-er and runs a monthly online meet up with neurodivergent writers on the WriteMentor hub.

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As well as writing award-winning spooky novels, Emily runs regular storytelling workshops for children of all ages, putting her acting skills to excellent use.

 

Emily also takes on a select number of editing projects, so if you're an aspiring author looking for a manuscript assessment, would like guidance on your agent pitch or help writing the dreaded synopsis, do get in touch via the contact page.