My father thought I would lead a simple life; that I was bright but unambitious, complacant with whatever work life threw at me. My father, as usual, was wrong.

I looked at him and he looked at me. A moment. A choice. My choice. His choice.

I like to imagine there were more of us in the beginning. Not many, I suppose. But more than there are now.

There was no normal. There never had been. "Normal" and "natural" were the biggest lies we'd ever created.

I fell even more deeply in love with Tolkiens legendarium after studying Old English literature at uni, as I got a sense of the historical events and cultures that Tolkien used to create his world. My favourite of his imaginary locations is Lothlorien.

There are certain things in life that you never forget. Things that dig deep, things that nest in the hadal zone.

Words are everything. Words give wings even to those who have been stamped upon, broken beyond all hope of repair.