Hi, I’m Kate.
I am many things, and this site is about the writer part of me. I write many things.
In my fiction, I write fun-filled, fast-paced contemporary fantasy featuring witches, shifters, fae, and demons, empowered women, intense friendships, swoony romances, nefarious villains, cool treasure, myths, folklore, and a lot more. Most of my witchy books have an edge of mystery to them, but they don’t quite fit into any formal mystery genres, so I mostly just call them “paranormal women’s fiction” or simply, “witchy fiction.” I also write paranormal romance about sweet shifters and their fated mates.
In nonfiction, I write personal development for writers and other creatives.
My fiction is published under the imprint Sylvan Star Press.
My nonfiction for writers is published under the imprint Inkwell & Elm.
My Books
My fiction is witchy and otherworldly. The Witch Against Wicked series is a complete seven-book series of small-town magic, mystery and suspense, starting with A Maze of Magic. My standalone witchy fantasy includes The Elm Witch and Night Shift At The Shadow Bay Hotel. My sweet shifter paranormal romances are the Shifter Mates of Fairbright Falls books, and my short fiction includes Familiar Shadows of the Strange and Creatures of the Liminal Wilds. You’ll find everything on my Fiction page.
My books for writers are about author mindset, creativity and writing practice, and include guides, essay collections and guided writing journals. You’ll find them on my Books for Writers page and, with articles to go with them, at The Creative Writing Life. My books on using tarot in your writing practice are at Tarot Writers, and my writing prompts are at Writing Prompt World.
You can buy my books directly from my bookstore. To follow along, see what I’m currently working on, watch the announcements for new releases, subscribe for email updates, or get in touch.
The Personal Info
As well as writing, I’m also typically found bowing to the whims of my two children, working out, taking epic long walks, cleaning something, listening to something, watching something, reading something, drawing something and sleeping. There’s never enough sleeping.
I also write poetry (for fun, maybe one day for publication), and paint, and draw, and do needlepoint, and yarn arts, play the guitar, and make all kinds of stuff. I collect houseplants, pretty rocks, tarot decks, and fountain pens, and I cycle through creative hobbies, sometimes more quickly than the weather changes.
I’ve worked dozens of different non-writing jobs from dollar shop retail, regenerating bushland, making pizza, scooping ice-cream, washing dishes, selling outdoor furniture, selling shoes, mystery shopping, making sandwiches, tutoring high school kids in English, and many years working in music retail. Now that I’m a professional writer, I can definitely say this is the best job. Ever. But all of those other jobs all, in their way, helped pave the way.
For years, I wrote for others as a copywriter, content writer, and ghostwriter. Now I just write for me. And you.
I love weight lifting, and long distance walking. I love cool, sunny spring days, clean linen, tarot, and the smell of sweet basil.
I live in Perth, Australia (moved here at the end of 2017, and have lived in loads of other places around Australia) with my husband, kids (currently 12 and 7), and a beagle named Pepper.
I’m addicted to peppermints.
I don’t use social media. And that’s more complicated than I want it to be. I’m starting to have a similar relationship with using (and not using) AI.
I’m obsessed with Arthurian legend. I have worshipped Madonna (the pop star one) since I was about 9 years old. I read and watch (and hold opinions about) most genres but fantasy is the only genre that feels like a survival need for me.
I have recovered from a long term neuroplastic condition that made me dizzy for about 13 years. Mindbody syndrome is a real thing.
Just before my 44th birthday, I learned I am neurodivergent. I was officially diagnosed as AuDHD just before my 46th birthday.
I hold a Bachelor of Arts (English and History Majors) from the Australian National University; Masters in Humanities (Media and Cultural Studies) and a Graduate Certificate in the same from the University of Queensland; Graduate Certificate in Communications from Griffith University. I once started the path to PhD in studying archetypal fairytale narratives in cinema and sometimes get the urge to go back to academia… maybe one day.
I’m currently in a conundrum whether or not to force myself to make videos and or audio content to prove I’m a real human and not an AI, but I REALLY hate making videos and audio for a lot of reasons… which, if you ask me is a pretty human thing to want to avoid. Please believe me, I’m real. My words are real. My face is real….. (although sometimes I shave my head to a short buzz cut so I might not always look exactly like I do in these photos!). Not getting around to taking a buzzcut head shot is probably another human feature too, right?