I am an internationally bestselling novelist and Japanese-English translator. I teach Prose Fiction on the Creative Writing MSt here at Cambridge. In 2024 I was chosen by The British Council and The National Centre for Writing as one of ten rising stars in UK writing. My work has so far been translated into twenty languages. As of September 2025, I am a Royal Literary Fund Fellow at the University of Cambridge.
After gaining my master's degree in English Literature from the University of Oxford, I moved to rural Japan, became fluent in Japanese and obtained qualifications in translation and interpretation. I've had a variety of jobs since then, spanning continents and cultures, from travel photographer to video game translator.
I am a full-time writer of fiction now, but I very much enjoy working with students and helping them pursue their writing dreams. Nothing makes me happier than hearing news that my students have gone on to secure book deals and are embarking on their own literary careers. Just as I was helped by my professors of Creative Writing, I wish to help others.
