I am a Kiwi living in Edinburgh. I write poetry, essays and memoir and have a PhD in Creative Writing, Poetry, from Massey University in Wellington. 

As part of the Scotland-based women’s writing collective, 12, I have written in response to several art exhibitions, including the Beyond Caravaggio exhibition at the Scottish Galleries, and the Emma Hart exhibition at the Fruitmarket Gallery.

I teach poetry, essay writing and memoir. I have taught creative writing in universities and for community organisations such as the Edinburgh Adult Education Programme and the charity, Open Book Scotland. I have also worked for Edinburgh Libraries as a Lifelong Learning Library Advisor. 

In 2013 I had a Hawthornden Fellowship, in 2016 a Bothy Project Residency, and I have had several residencies in New Zealand, including the Creative NZ Randell Cottage Residency in 2021. 

In February 2024 my memoir Do You Still Have Time for Chaos? was published in New Zealand by Te Herenga Waka University Press. I have published five collections of poetry and a novel. My latest poetry collection, Islander, was published in 2019 by Shearsman Books, Bristol, and Te Herenga Waka University Press. 

I have extensive experience teaching creative writing, especially facilitating creative writing workshops both online and in person, including at the Scottish Poetry Library and the Poetry School.