Who am I?
I'm a fiction writer, teacher and writing mentor. I write speculative and fantasy fiction under the name Caroline Finch and historical fiction as Caroline Lea. My next novel, THE THOUSAND DEATHS OF ROMEO AND JULIET will be published in the UK, US, Spain, Italy and Brazil in March 2027 .
My fiction and poetry have been longlisted for the BBC Short Story Prize and Sunday Times Short Story Award, and shortlisted for the Bridport Prize, the Fish Short Story Competition and various flash fiction prizes. My novel, LOVE, SEX & FRANKENSTEIN was longlisted for the Royal Society of Literature Ondaatje Prize. THE GLASS WOMAN, was published to critical acclaim and shortlisted for the HWA Debut Crown. My next novel, THE METAL HEART, was Scottish Waterstones Book of the Month. My novel, PRIZE WOMEN was featured and acclaimed on BBC Woman's Hour.
I'm passionate about helping other writers to grow and succeed: I have taught creative writing at the University of Warwick and have run courses for Writing West Midlands. I'm also always delighted to run workshops for schools. I'm often recruited to give talks at literary festivals and events - you can contact me on here or via my publishers.
I live in Warwick with my partner and children and am working on my next novel.
Writing Help
Mentoring
Help and advice with anything to do with writing and publication, from generating ideas to nailing that opening, to working on a manuscript or submitting to agents.
£100 p/h for a single session.
£75 p/h for regular sessions.
Editing
I can offer comments and advice, followed by a one-hour online conversation about next steps and how to move your narrative forward. This is often called a developmental edit and includes notes on structure, character, pace and worldbuilding. I also offer line editing for manuscripts that need polishing - please get in touch for pricing.
DEVELOPMENTAL EDITING
First 5,000 words - £300
First 15,000 words - £650
First 30,000 words - £900
60,000 words - £1,100
90,000 words - £1,300
Literary events and writing talks, including school or university visits:
My standard fee is £175 for an hour, plus travel from Warwick.
Teaching
I can also plan and teach longer term bespoke courses, usually on a weekly basis but I'm happy to work around your needs and requirements – whether that's a longer course or a one-off session.
These can be booked as group sessions, so can be more affordable for friends or book clubs who might like to learn together.
POA - don't hesitate to get in touch!
