jaybirdauthor

When was the last time you saw a teenager absorbed in a book? Not scrolling, gaming, or watching—but truly immersed in a story, eyes locked on a page, mind in another world? I see more teenagers than the average person—and even for me, it’s a rare sight. But when it happens, I leech every drop of joy from the moment. It buoys me in my mission to promote Read-Easy material and do my part in sparking a lifelong love of reading. More than ever, I believe reading matters. It's a way for young...

When it comes to writing fiction, there are two types of writers we hear about all the time: plotters and pantsers. You might be one. You might be the other. Or—like most of us—you might fall somewhere in between. In fact, I’m surprised they haven’t created an official third category for those of us who thrive in a kind of organised creative chaos. Oh wait. They have. It’s called being a Plantser—part plotter, part pantser. But honestly? I think that’s a silly name. It makes me think of...

Squeezing in my writing around schoolwork has been a challenge and a conflict of interest has really stopped me from getting out there and working in schools as an author. After many years as a classroom teacher, I’m thrilled to share that I’ll be stepping into a new chapter in from July in 2026, I’ll be taking a professional hiatus from teaching to fully explore life as an author, creative, and workshop facilitator. I'll be an author visiting schools in 2026! Yay! (Visualise me...