My Writing Story
I didn't know I could write.
Not really. Not in the sense of being an author, let alone having many books types published in many languages.
In fact, if you had told me a few years before my first book that I'd be sitting at my kitchen table—newborn baby asleep in the next room—writing a medical book that would help thousands of couples around the world conceive, I would have laughed. Or shaken my head in disbelief.
Because back then, I wasn't a writer. I had no formal training. I knew nothing about the publishing process. I didn't even know how to write a book proposal. I was working in the financial sector. Complete opposite environment.
But what I did have was a story and knowledge I couldn't keep inside any longer.
I had somehow hacked the medical system to finally conceive a baby after 7 years of trying. The doctors gave me a 5% chance of conceiving. I had lost 6 babies. Been in intensive care twice.
Yet against the odds, I succeeded and couldn't believe it.
I combined complementary and conventional medicine into one book. No-one had done that before. I just wanted other couples to know the information.
Like a codebreaker, I had finally unlocked the combination that worked. But why write about it? With a degree in Human Biological Sciences, I had always been fascinated by the human body and its remarkable capabilities. After a seven-year journey to motherhood, I knew my story and hard-earned knowledge could help others. Twenty years ago, there was no social media, no blogs, no instant platforms to share your message. Back then, the "old school" way to reach people like me was to write a book — and that's exactly what I set out to do.
The Moment Everything Changed
It began with a near-death experience.
One that jolted me awake—physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
In that moment, I knew I'd been given a second chance at life. A gift of time I could no longer take for granted. And with that realisation came a deep, almost overwhelming urge to leave something behind. A legacy.
Not for fame, not for accolades, but because I wanted my experience to help others. To make the pain, the setbacks, the years of trial and error mean something beyond my own life.
I had cracked the code on how to get pregnant after seven years of heartbreak. Miscarriages. False hope. Endless medical appointments. And finally—finally—my miracle baby.
Somewhere inside me, a voice whispered: You need to share this. Someone else needs to hear it.
The Leap Into the Unknown
I didn't start by thinking, I'm going to write a book. That felt impossible. Intimidating.
Instead, I started small. I wrote a chapter outline. Just headings at first—simple signposts of what I thought I could share. Then I wrote a single chapter. One. That's all I had.
I sent my idea to 12 publishers naively. Not knowing they wanted to see the whole book before deciding. Then one day I got a call from a London publisher. I jumped on the train from Manchester to meet a publisher. I had no manuscript. No agent. No formal pitch. Just my outline, my chapter, and my conviction.
By the end of that same day, I had a book deal.
The publisher believed in the story and in me—enough to ask me to write the next ten chapters. I remember nodding enthusiastically, saying "Yes, of course!"
And then they gave me the deadline.
Three months.
Writing With a Newborn
The twist? My son was just six weeks old.
I remember leaving the meeting thinking, How am I going to write a medical book while caring for a newborn?
There was no grand writing plan. My life became a rhythm of nappies, feeds, and tiny windows of silence. Every time my son fell asleep, I would tiptoe to my desk. Some days I managed a paragraph. Other days, just a sentence.
I didn't overthink it. I would wait for inspiration. The download. Often that came at nighttime. I simply wrote whatever poured out of me in those brief, precious hours. Sometimes I would get two hours while he napped. Other days, twenty minutes before a cry pulled me back into motherhood.
It was messy. It was exhausting. But it was real.
I missed the original deadline by four weeks. But the manuscript was finished.
From Kitchen Table to Six Languages
When the book was published, I couldn't have imagined the ripple effect.
Letters and emails began arriving from couples across the world—people who had followed the steps in my book and finally held their own miracle babies in their arms. The book was translated into six languages, each version carrying my words to a different corner of the globe.
And it all started because I dared to begin, even when I didn't feel ready.
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Celebrating 20 Years
This year marks 20 years since I first sat down and wrote a simple chapter outline—less than 1,000 words—that I could never have imagined would, within 12 months, become a published book in six languages, helping thousands of couples around the world overcome the odds to have their baby.
Since that moment, writing has evolved from a leap of faith into one of my greatest passions.
During COVID, in the quiet of my garden, I was compelled to write another book—a business guide to my 20-year-old self on how to start and grow a business—which is now recognised by Cranfield Business School and held in 5,000 universities worldwide as part of MBA courses. I had been a business coach to Start Ups and Scale Ups for two decades. Writing best practice tips into a book felt natural to me.
My third and fourth books have taken me into new genres, from personal development to fresh creative explorations, and each has deepened my love for writing.
Today, I celebrate not just the milestones, but the joy of finding those moments to connect with my soul, my message, and the stories that continue to unfold.
The Truth About Writing
Here's what I learned: writing isn't about waiting until you feel like a writer. It's about starting anyway.
It's about connecting to the experience, the knowledge, the wisdom that's uniquely yours—and letting it flow onto the page.
You can't fake that kind of connection. Readers know when you're writing from the heart. They can feel it. And that authenticity is what makes words come alive.
Since that first book, I've gone on to write multiple others. Each one has been rooted in something I was deeply connected to—stories or ideas I couldn't not write about.
The creative process isn't about perfection; it's about surrender.
Creating Space for the Writer Within
Looking back, I realise how little time I had to "be a writer" in those early days. My moments to write were snatched between feedings and lullabies.
That's why I'm so passionate about creating space for others to find their own writing rhythm—without the distractions of daily life pulling them away.
That's exactly why I host my Writer's Retreat in the Forest.
In those quiet, beautiful surroundings, something happens. The noise falls away. You reconnect with yourself, your story, and the voice inside you that has been waiting to speak.
We don't just sit in silence. Over the course of the weekend, we set intentions, dive into creative exercises, and use focused writing sprints to build momentum. We reflect, refine, and most importantly—we connect.
Because writing doesn't have to be lonely.
The Power of Community
One of the things I craved after writing my first book was someone to share the journey with. Someone to hold me accountable when my energy waned, or to celebrate the small wins along the way.
That's why my retreats don't end on Sunday afternoon. We stay connected. We check in. We keep each other moving forward.
Because I know from experience—those words inside you matter. And sometimes, you just need the right environment to let them out.
If You Don't Think You Can Write…
Maybe you're like I was.
Maybe you think you're "not a writer."
Maybe you don't know where to start.
But I believe this: if you have a story inside you, you can write it.
You don't have to have all the answers. You don't have to know the publishing world. You just have to take that first step—outline one chapter, write one scene, speak one truth onto the page.
That's what I did. And that one small step changed my life.
If you're ready to find the writer within you—to finally give your story the space, time, and focus it deserves—I invite you to join me in the forest.
Because you may not know it yet, but you can write. And the world just might be waiting for your words.