I grew up in the South Island of Aotearoa New Zealand, in a rural town. I left New Zealand at 18 and lived, worked and traveled in the UK, USA, Finland and Saudi Arabia before returning to Te-Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington where I currently live with my partner and two children.

I graduated with a Masters in Creative Writing (Distinction) in Prose from the University of East Anglia (UEA) in the UK in 2010 and then began working as a freelance editor and writer. I spent two years at Te Herenga Waka University Press (THWUP) as an editor and am now working as Senior Editor with Bridget Williams Books. Earlier in my career, after completing a BA(Hons) in literature, I worked in communications and web content development, running my own business providing content writing and editing services to tech companies and academics in the US, Europe and Australasia.