CV
AWARDS
PPC Quarterly Awards, commended: I Am Nefertiti (2022)
PPC Children’s Campaign of the Year, shortlisted: Milo and the Restart Button (2011)
PPC Children’s Campaign of the Year, shortlisted: How to Talk to Girls (2009)
Harpers Award for Innovation: Spill the Ink (2010)
OBE (Order of the Bloody Entrails) from author Darren Shan, in his book Blood Beast (pub. 2007)
CAREER HISTORY
Freelance publicist
July 2015 - present
Working with a variety of children’s publishers, from big corporations to small independent houses, adapting to different publisher needs, strategies, timescales and budgets, and working creatively with news angles and available resource to get the most from each campaign.
Clients: Knights Of, Farshore, Owlet Press, Greystone Kids, Pavilion Children’s Books, Nosy Crow, Canongate, Simon & Schuster Children's Books, the Barnes Children's Literature Festival, Hot Key Books, Piccadilly Press, Pikku Publishing, Five Quills, Penguin Random House, the Van Gogh Museum Amsterdam.
Children’s Publicity & Marketing Manager – Simon & Schuster UK
July 2010 – July 2015
Worked in a small publicity & marketing team across the list of fiction, picture books and licensed brands, from debut authors to bestsellers including Sophie McKenzie, Darren Shan, Jo Nesbo, Anna Kemp & Sara Ogilvie, Becca Fitzpatrick, Claire Freedman & Ben Cort, CJ Flood, Paige Toon, Steve Cole and Sue Hendra.
Specific responsibilities included long-term campaign strategy for bestsellers Darren Shan and Sophie McKenzie; marketing strategy; digital innovation including launching S&S’ first picture ebooks and S&S Kids on Facebook; main contact for literary festivals; main contact for trade press coverage and announcements; charity partnership with Starlight Storytellers, taking authors into children’s hospital wards; people management of publicity assistant and work experience interns; best practise – streamlining systems and processes to keep the department running smoothly.
Senior Press Officer – HarperCollins Children’s Books
July 2006 – July 2010
Promoted from Press Officer to Senior Press Officer during my time at HC. Worked across the list of fiction, picture books and licensed brands including Paddington, Dr. Seuss, Garth Nix, Diana Wynne Jones, Jenny Valentine, Darcey Bussell and Conn Iggulden.
Specific responsibilities included high-profile 50th anniversary campaigns for Paddington and The Cat in the Hat; developing a generic fiction campaign with printed, online and events strands; events management across author tours, festivals, launch parties and bespoke events; managing invoicing for the department and keeping budget up-to-date; mentoring work experience interns; reading volunteer at a local primary school; Green Ambassador for the children’s division.
Press Officer – New Holland Publishers (UK) Ltd
October 2002 – July 2006
Started my publishing career working on a list of illustrated non-fiction across craft, cookery, humour, lifestyle and travel; implementing full publicity campaigns and bespoke events, and selling serial rights. Promoted from Publicity Assistant to Press Officer during my time at NHP and spent three months as Acting Publicity Manager.
MEMBERSHIPS
Publishers Publicity Circle (PPC)
INTERESTS
Aside from books, I love making stained and fused glass. I play the piano, enjoy yoga and meditation for time out, make use of my Art Pass and National Trust membership whenever I can, and aim for a regular dose of #wildtime along the Dorset coast or in the New Forest with my two young children.
