I was born in Felling on Tyne and started writing poetry in 1985 aged 15. My first book, Bed and Breakfast with Lydia Lunch was published the following year. Since then my poems have won numerous awards and appeared in various collections as well as on national TV and radio.
After graduating from Hull University in 1992, I moved to London and worked as a rock music journalist. In the 1990s I was both a staff and freelance writer for various publications including Mojo, Select and The Times.
During this time I fell, like Alice, into the weird wonderland of out of print bookselling. In 1998 I set up my own online book business and also wrote and performed in several London-based bands.
The start of the 21st century saw me promoting recycling for the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea during the day and working on a range of community radio and oral history projects in London and Cambridge at nights and weekends. I was a busy bee but the south was losing its appeal.
In 2009 I hitched a lift back to Tyneside and the following year I moved to wonderful Whitley Bay. After years of living above shops on main roads, I now live on holiday.
