Nicola is a freelance copy-editor and proofreader, with a background in translation from French and German to English. Originally from England, she has lived and worked in France, Germany and Luxembourg and is now based in the beautiful Scottish Highlands (although unlike Outlander’s Claire Fraser, she didn’t pass through standing stones to get there). She is a Professional member of the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP) and has trained with the Publishing Training Centre. Nicola also edits for our sister brand, The History Quill.

She loves writing that explores who we are as people, the places we come from and the ways we interact with and are shaped by the world around us – writing that makes us think (and laugh – or cry!). She especially enjoys high fantasy, magical realism, historical fantasy, mythological fantasy, science fiction and dystopian fiction.

Some of her favourite fantasy and science fiction includes J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series, Matthew Ward’s Legacy trilogy, S.A. Chakraborty’s Daevabad trilogy, Samantha Shannon’s Bone Season series, Ann Leckie’s Imperial Radch series, Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy, Katherine Arden’s Winternight trilogy and Naomi Novik’s Uprooted and Spinning Silver. She also enjoys TV series like Silo, Severance, Westworld and Game of Thrones.

If Nicola were stranded on a desert island, the fantasy books she would absolutely, definitely, without question want with her are the Realm of the Elderlings series by Robin Hobb. She loves Hobb’s beautiful prose, the world-building, the character development, the magic, and the messages of positivity and inclusivity in the face of adversity. Although each ‘part’ of the series can be read in isolation, together they overlap to create a deeper, richer world – with some clever clues and hints sprinkled throughout. Some seemingly throwaway lines later turn out to be very significant, as does the juxtaposition of certain scenes, and the emotional impact on the reader, the moment you realise, is incredible.