Why did you choose your course at Leeds Beckett?

I was technically a mature student, at age 21, and had already completed a few Legal Executive courses at evening school, when I realised I should just get the job properly and do a degree in law instead. Leeds Metropolitan, as it was then known, had a great Law School based at its Beckett Park (Headingley) campus, and was close enough for me to get back home easily, but far enough away for me to enjoy the full student experience in Leeds. As soon as I'd attended my admission interview I knew it was the perfect university for me.

Tell us a few details about your current role and how you got here.

After graduating, in 1997, I went straight into a graduate role at HM Land Registry, which was a very good use of the land law module from my first year's studies. From here I went into property conveyancing, firstly for a house building company and then; in private practice, before bumping over into higher education executive administration, and eventually ending up as a self-employed proof-reader and copy-editor with what is now the Chartered Institute of Editors and Proof-readers. All the while I was writing and releasing books (having actually completed my first proper full length novel at the same time as writing my dissertation and studying for finals - although I probably shouldn't admit to that!) and chasing my dream of being a full-time author.

How did your course at Leeds Beckett help you?

I think any degree teaches transferable skills, such as the discipline of balancing life and study, learning how to do research and understanding time management, but my law degree taught me how to analyse all aspects of a situation with an independent and informed mind, how to understand the mechanics of our country's legal system and how it applies to our everyday lives, which is more useful than it might sound, and also a little bit of Latin! Our two compulsory first-year modules of Business Management and Business Accounting have been invaluable now that I run my own publishing imprint. And, finally, it taught me that I was strong enough to finish my degree when things got tough in my final year. I don't often use the law aspect of my degree these days, but the invaluable life lessons in resilience and self-belief have there for me to fall back on ever since.

What are some of your best memories of studying at Leeds Beckett?

I can remember so clearly how excited I was sitting in my first ever lecture in the James Graham building and thinking 'I'm actually here!', because it all felt so unreal. Memories of me cycling through Beckett Park campus to my lectures and tutorials will always have an almost cinematic feel to them, especially in the autumn term. It was so pretty! ;Also, how could I forget my first ever 'Poly Bop' and countless nights at Brutus Gold's Love Train at the T&C on a Friday night? Those days were epic! Then there was Gymnastics Club at the sports centre - I still have my club sweatshirt after all these years, and it's still so cosy. Finally, of course, my graduation, which was performed back then in the grandeur of Leeds Town Hall.

How did you get into writing?

I knew I wanted to be a writer at about seven years old, and I went on to study double English at both GCSE and A Level, so it was always there, lurking in the background. I set my dreams of being a writer aside on the advice of my school careers advisors to pursue a more orthodox future occupation, hence the law degree, but they never went away. Eventually I just accepted that I'd never settle in any of my 'proper jobs' and dedicated all my energy and focus on my writing, and that's how I ended up a full-time author. It's been hard work, and a frustratingly slow process at times, but it's been worth it.

You have written 14 books. What are they about?

I started out writing 'pony books for grown-ups' and family comedy-dramas in the 2000s, but it wasn't until 2016 when I started to write my Ravensbay School Stories - a term-by-term series of children's books centred on a group of friends at an equestrian boarding school set on the North Yorkshire coast - that things really started to take off. However, all my books are set in what a reader dubbed The Burtonverse as they're all interconnected in some way. I like world-building; it's fun. My books are intended to be empowering, particularly for girls, uplifting and relatable - and all contain plenty of animals (mainly horses), good food and dry Yorkshire humour!

What is your best achievement to date?

Being plucked out of what's known as the 'slush pile' not once, but twice, and signing with a literary agent on both occasions, are achievements within themselves, as publishing is never an easy industry to crack. However, my career highlight so far must be when 20,000 copies of First Term at Ravensbay were sent out with PONY Magazine in July 2024. The response from young equestrian readers continues to be overwhelming almost a year later. It was the first time I felt a connection to my readers on such a huge scale.

Do you have plans to publish more books?

I do indeed! I've got two already at the editing and proofreading stage, and another two over halfway written. I do tend to have a couple of books on the go at all times, usually one for kids and one for adults, as that way I've always got something to write dependent on my mood. The grand plan is for there to be 22 books in my Ravensbay School Stories alone (one for each school term, plus one final one to wrap up any loose ends), and I've also got plenty of outlines for other books just waiting to be written.

What advice would you have liked to receive when you were a student?

In all honesty? Don't let the student experience sway you into forgetting who you really are or why you wanted to come to university in the first place. I could have achieved a higher result than my humble 2:2 if I hadn't allowed myself to be distracted, or let my focus be split, by uni life. It's a regret, yes, but I'm still very proud of my LLB (Hons) and I'll always be thankful for the things I learnt, both in and out of the lecture theatre. You never know, I might even write a book based on my experiences one day. After all, being set in the mid-90s, it'd have a cracking soundtrack!