My main focus as a presenter and writer is to engage audiences about animals and the science of zoology, shifting the perspective to include humans in the frame. I want my audiences to understand more clearly our role and impact upon the planet, a lump of crusted molten rock that sustains us all. But I also want my audiences to be amazed, inspired and feel wonder about our planet's residents, their connectedness and life-stories. I spend about half of my time writing non-fiction books about animals and half of my time presenting, compering or chairing, mostly at festivals and literary events.

 

Zoologically, I have academic roots. My career has included amphibian and reptile science, international bird conservation, evolutionary biology, freshwater restoration and, more recently, museums. My interest in Jurassic fossils, particularly the evolution of marine invertebrates, continues to be a big part of my life. As well as this, I am also proficient in 3D design (Unity) which I've used to tell stories about toad migration, how fossils form and (I promise I'm not making this up) an interactive VR tour of female duck reproductive anatomy. And I write, of course. A lot.

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One thing you might notice in a lot of my writing work is a creative, original slant. My adult non-fiction books recount geological time as viewed through the lens of the egg rather than the animal (Infinite Life), for instance, and I charted the history of cognitive zoology using a host of historical dogs as guides (Wonderdog - winner of The Barker Award 2022). My children's books are full of ideas: from Choose-Your-Own Adventures through the evolutionary tree of life (Nosy Crow) to Martian Museums (Bloomsbury) dedicated to Earth animals and, well, plenty more. Writing is the most extraordinary pleasure and I am really grateful to be able to do this as a job - it's a childhood dream come true.​ If you work in publishing and are interested in discussing ideas, please make contact anytime.

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