I've been writing for as long as I can remember. I must have shown some sort of knack for it, because, aged nine, I was asked to write a couple of extra verses to the school nativity song for the play.

From there, I went on to win a couple of local poetry competitions, 'Curiousity killed the cat' being a particular big win for me, the one about finding my rabbit 'cold hard and stiff, loving red eyes, filled with red pain' a close second.

I was fortunate to have a very inspiring English teacher, who encouraged me to push myself. She set me different work to the rest of the class, and in return, I often coached the slightly 'less talented' kids so she could have an extra half hour in the staff room.

Bad boyfriend and bad job choices meant I didn't go to Uni. I fell into marketing work and I thought my writing would always just be a hobby.

Two things happened. The first was I became a mother and wanted to be able to answer all of my daughter's questions about what she was like when she was a baby. As the third child in my family, my mum can remember none of these things. I wanted to be able to tell her, exactly what her first word was, and the first time she slept through the night (still waiting to be able to write about that one).

So I started a blog to document my Gracie-girl. I sent it to friends and family, who sent it on to other friends and families and I ended up winning the Babycentre Blogging competition and began working for them.

At about the same time, a very dear friend of mine passed away very suddenly, leaving behind three small children and the lesson that life is short.

I quit my job, got pregnant and enrolled in a NCTJ Journalism degree. I took my final exam (sub-editing) two days before my due date.

My degree seemed like a bit of a waste of time as no one wants to employ a part-time journalist. I figured I might as well have another child and worry about work later.

Two more children made for more interesting reading, and my blog took off. I won Britmums Family blogger of the year 2013. At the awards, I met a literary agent and gave her the first few chapters of a book I'd been working on.

In short, the book was published, and my notoriety led to me being offered a weekly column for the Argus, Brighton's daily paper. Within six months, I won 'Columnist of the year' at the Regional press awards 2015.

I don't know where my writing will take me next, but I know I'll never stop.

I continue to blog about my life as a mother and my column is still going strong. I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis when I was 30. I began writing about living with an autoimmune diesease, in the hope it might offer support and inspiration to fellow sufferers. 

To help control my auto immune disease, I do lot of research into diet and exercise. I write about that too, and offer 'healthy' recipes that hopefully don't taste too foul. 

When I'm not writing, I can be found running with my dog, listening to YA fiction or Audible, wandering round Kemptown's big pink flea-market or building things with my daughters that require a lot of sellotape.