I started writing when I was in my late teens. At least, that was when I began to write things that I didn't have to hand in to teachers. I wrote stories and poems, the start of a novel, another novel, more poems, a play with some friends that was produced, more short stories that worked better than the earlier ones.

I travelled when I was eighteen from London, where I was born, to Rarotonga and Los Angeles and New Zealand and Cambodia (and lots of other places along the way). During the trip, I filled a journal with short stories and parts of a novel. Now, after more years of writing, and countless rejections, I've published three novels.  

Life on the Refrigerator Door (HarperCollins) was my first. It's a novel written entirely in notes and it won several awards.  My second novel was published as a YA novel in ten countries, and it's called The Worst Thing She Ever Did (except for in the US where it's called Lost For Words - again published by HarperCollins).  It won The Arthur Ellis Award for juvenile crime fiction.  My third book, 40 Things I Want To Tell You (HarperCollins), came out last year and my fourth novel, The Death of Us, will be published in 2014.

I have a picture book in the works with Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. It's called The Best-Ever Bookworm Book by Violet and Victor Small.  As you can see, I love long titles!  

I have two children and a third on the way. My son is three and my daughter is one.  Together we 'write' books and colour them. Sharing a love of writing is something I love.  Writing and reading are my favourite ways to spend time, along with hanging out with my kids and travelling.