Writer, book coach and translator, I specialise in copywriting and transcreation, particularly in the fields of lifestyle, travel and technology. I’ve lived for many years between Britain and Spain and frequently weave the two languages together in my writing as the cultures are woven through my life.

In addition to poetry, which is my first love, I write and translate children’s fiction and am a Kobo best-selling children’s author under the pen-name David Aston.

As a writing coach and mentor, I specialise in poetry and non-fiction, and, through my “From Authority to Authorship” programme, I mentor business experts on their journey to publication.

I have recently started to offer insights, support and opinion on the writer’s craft through my Social Media platforms, including YouTube and Spotify, BlueSky and Instagram.

Available for new projects

I am currently open to commercial copywriting projects and translations, as well as creative collaborations and competition judging (poetry or creative non-fiction).

In addition, I offer a range of virtual workshops on poetry and creative writing, and am available for author mentoring (non-fiction) and poetry critique, from single-session consultancy to longer-term arrangements.

Activities & involvements

As joint owner of Tantamount creative agency, I’ve worked with freelance creatives, businesses and educators on many projects that combine the need for publishing, design and technology.

My poetry has been awarded prizes and commendations, including from Torriano (First Prize, 2008), Barnet (First Prize, 2008), Writing Magazine (various), Stephen Spender Trust (commended, 2024) and NAWG (First Prize, 2024), and my poems have appeared in magazines and anthologies, in schoolbooks, and even in an 11+ test paper!

I was poet-in-residence at TEDx Leamington Spa in 2017, I have performed at festivals and open mics, and I have been an active member of various writers’ groups in the UK, in Spain and online. I am a member of the Poetry Society and led the Madrid Stanza for a number of years. Currently I am a member of the Zoom Stanza and I also lead the Global Online Stanza.

I am assistant director of the South Warwickshire Literary Festival, a locally-focused community festival, founded in 2021.  In addition to my involvement in the event organisation, this year I led a workshop on ekphrastic poetry and hosted the lunchtime open mic session. I also judged the creative non-fiction competition, for the second year running. The Festival has gone from strength to strength and I am looking forward to next year’s event and to judging entries in the poetry category of the competition.

One of my favourite recent projects was a collaboration with a Spanish friend, which started during the Covid pandemic lockdown and resulted in three independently-published books of Modern Pagan Prayer, as well as a prayer writing workshop, which my co-author Lucía and I delivered for Harvard Divinity School’s Evolving Spiritualities Conference. 

Creative vision

I am fascinated by the multi-layered aspects of language revealed through translation and poetry. My creative writing explores the blurred borders between writer and narrator, between translation and creation, between memoir and invention, and between poetry and prayer.